There is a long tradition of using wood as a distinct and ecologically sound building material. Wooden architecture conveys for today's world the breadth of knowledge held in Western and Eastern cultures about the creative use of this unique material. The typical technique of building with wood, joinery, requires that elements are connected only by the skillful interlocking of the constructive parts. In this book, the history of wooden architecture is described in detail using hundreds of examples from Japan, China and Europe. From a holistic understanding, a picture emerges that is informative for architects, and designers, reopens an almost lost world to builders, and will enthrall laypeople. Also available in a German edition (ISBN 978-3-0356-2479-3)