"World-renowned architect Cesar Pelli has distilled the wisdom and experience gained through his many years of practice and teaching into this deeply felt book intended for those interested in or about to embark upon the profession of architecture."--Jacket. "Pelli focuses on the unique position of architecture among the arts. He analyzes eight "connections" that influence both the artistic and practical aspects of architecture: time, construction, place, purpose, culture, design process, constituency, and oneself. Pelli discusses each connection, drawing on historic and contemporary examples, and then turns to first-person commentary, illustrating his experiences with his own buildings and projects, including such important buildings as Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (the world's tallest buildings), the Pacific Design Center in Los Angeles, and Washington National Airport."--Jacket.