Over the past decade, digital tools have radically transformed the design, practice and construction of architecture. But behind the superslick, photorealist renderings of projects that are never built is an entire body of design research that informs the latest innovations in design and construction. "Research & Design: The Architecture of Variation", edited by a pioneer of the digital revolution, examines the hottest areas of architectural design. The book takes its cue from the practice of masscustomization, one of the most important design and retail trends of recent years, to consider how variations on the same design idea can be applied to a broad spectrum of architectural, engineering and construction solutions.