A classic of architectural history and theory, "Heavenly Mansions" interprets architecture as a reflection of the age in which it flowers. It traces the alternating themes of fantasy and functionalism as exemplified in various styles and in the works of a number of influential men, including Sir Christopher Wren, Eugene-Emanuel Viollet-le-Duc, William Butterfield and Le Corbusier. The essays on the aesthetic principles and enduring motives of architecture summarize 800 years of viewpoints, ranging from Gothic design to Renaissance architecture and the influence of modern abstract art on 20th-century architecture.