The highly acclaimed book *Four Walls and a Roof. The Complex Nature of a Simple Profession* by Reinier De Graaf, architect and partner at OMA, was published last year. The author offers his unflinching views and takes the reader behind the scenes of his practice, in an attempt to understand what it means to practise as an architect today.

*Four Walls and a Roof* is structured around the seven myths that Reinier De Graaf seeks to debunk: the architect’s supposed authority, personal inspiration and originality, commitment to good causes, control over one’s own practice, independence from external powers, mastery of large-scale projects and, finally, total dedication to progress. In essays ranging from short to longer pieces, De Graaf shares his vision of the world (of architecture). The tragicomic anecdotes, interwoven with observations and historical and political events, sometimes lead to deeper reflections, but some remain merely superficial. He apologises for this right from the start: ‘Why this book? Most architects are pure theorists, and I am no exception. As soon as we put forward theories, be wary! We go where our work takes us, and develop our ideas along the way. Revelations about the great things in life, when they arise, are merely fortuitous by-products of our (often mundane) work.’ The tone is set.