A comprehensive overview of Southern California s most experimental architecture, showcasing the highly expressive work of famed architects such as Frank Gehry and Thom Mayne, as well as the best of the new guard. This is the first critical examination and history of what was first identified as the "L.A. School" in the 1990s, which has influenced much of American architecture in the last twenty-five years. This expansive new book examines contemporary Southern California architecture from 1987 to the present, exploring its experimental nature, sculptural tendency, and exciting evolution. This volume complements a major exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, and is part of the Getty Research Institute exhibition initiative "Los Angeles Architecture, 1940 1990." Contributions by leading architectural historians coupled with a stunning collection of images present recent works in terms of sculpturalism and urbanism, and consider the impact of the history and environment of Los Angeles, as well as the creative and working processes.