Formed in 1995, the Munich-based firm 03 Architects takes an unusual approach to their work in urban spaces: regardless of the purpose of the building they’ve been commissioned to build, they start by looking closely at the narrative qualities of the city, working what they see as the story of an area into their plans from the earliest stages.

For this book, 03 Architects invited photographer Walter Mair to engage in a collaborative dialogue in which they would explore their work, concepts, and methods. Mair’s photographs document the firm’s work with an eye for the context the buildings reflect and enable, while brief, associative texts by the architects themselves offer amplification, commentary, and counterpoint to the images. An introduction on the fundamental questions and problems of architectural photography by renowned architectural critic and curator Hubertus Adam rounds out the book.