If it was a meal it would feed a party of 10.
This 'plat de resistance', The Phaidon Atlas of 21st Century Architecture ($195) is indeed a big heavy tome.
More than your average coffee table book, it covers over 1000 buildings that sprung up around the world since the year 2000.
With some 800 pages, the atlas is divided into 6 world regions,
with no less than 4600 illustrations and maps and serious stats
provided by the London School of Economics.
The projects go from single houses, cafes and wineries to the largest museums, airports and embassies and showcase the work of 'rock stars' of the architectural world such as Norman Forster and Herzog & de Meuron alongside new talent.
So you carry its weight around , it is delivered in a transparent plastic carrying case…
Put it uncommon gift ideas…
The Phaidon Atlas of 21st Century World Architecture came to my attention thanks to Coffee Table Tomes on Architecture (FT, December 13).
Related: On Mud Brick Building and the Architecture of Yemen (via London)