relative to that embodied in the new Finnish industrial
towns. Our use of large prefabricated concrete com-
ponents and panels (an inevitable constructional develop-
ment) stands in knee pants compared to similar work in
Italy, England, France, and Scandinavia--as, indeed, does
our ordinary concrete construction. Wall-sized factory-
fabricated panels are regularly employed in much of
Europe (especially for housing), while the small-unit
prefabricated work of Nervi in Italy is world renowned.
As for imaginative work in metal, it is of interest that the
famous $25,000 annual R. S. Reynolds Memorial Award
for creative work in aluminum (of which the U.S. pro-
duces by far the world's largest output) has gone to
Europe three out of five times--once it went to Australia
and not until this year did it, for the first time, go to the
United States. Moreover, the standardization of building
materials and techniques and the constant necessity of
using only stock items make much American architectural
practice somewhat like assembling a gigantic Meccano
set. Expensive U.S. labor and relatively inexpensive U.S.
materials contrast with inexpensive--and prideful and
imaginative--Continental labor and high European mate-
rial costs and limitations, adding another element of dif-
ference between architecture here and abroad.

Two hundred and twenty-five buildings in sixteen
countries are analyzed here. Obviously there are not
two hundred and twenty-five works of contemporary
architectural genius in Europe--or anywhere else. How-
ever, Europe certainly counts two hundred and twenty-
five--and more--stimulating and significant recent build-
ings. This group has been sought out. The buildings have
been selected and arranged to present not only an over-
all picture of architectural achievement but also a cul-
tural barometer of each nation's postwar abilities in
shelter. There is at times an obvious lack of equality in
similar building types in different places. For example,
housing in, say, Greece does not equal housing in
Sweden--and is, indeed, surpassed by Stockholm ex-
amples not even mentioned. However, one of the func-
tions of this book is to set forth the outstanding work in
each country. Thus the traveler even in the less de-
veloped nations can readily find what new buildings of
merit are about. It is further hoped that pointing out

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