OMA's partner Reinier de Graaf has released his second book The Masterplan, the book tells about the story of an architect who desires for a recognition. 

The Masterplan came after the architect's first acclaimed book Four Walls and a Roof: The Complex Nature of a Simple Profession which revealed De Graaf's incisive thoughts and observations on the current architecture profession. 

In an exclusive interview with World Architecture Community, "the book is a provocation, and it is intentionally not propositional because the things that I address are not easy to fix and cannot be fixed by one individual or even by one profession alone," said Reinier de Graaf. 

The book, published by Archis, has been launched online in Amsterdam at Pakhuis de Zwijger today. The Masterplan is the first work of fiction by Reinier de Graaf. 

"Chronicling the trajectory of an architect craving for recognition, The Masterplan unfolds as a fictional reconstruction of an architectural dream blown to dust by bigger forces," stated the book's description.  

"When asked to design the capital of a young African republic, Rodrigo Tomás sees the opportunity of a lifetime."

"Eager to outshine his famous father he accepts, but he soon discovers that not all is what it seems… The story of his involvement comes to reveal a larger story – of an emerging nation’s struggle with colonial residue, the growing Chinese influence in Africa and the fraught workings of a global real estate market." 

"Caught in the crossfire, the architect must recognize that his choices have unexpected implications. Will there be time to adjust course?."

Book facts

Book name: The Masterplan

Author: Reinier de Graaf

Publisher: ARCHIS

Date: 2021 

Paperback, English, 328 Pages

All images courtesy of OMA.

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