Concrete, Peter Collins's first book, is an avowedly polemical and controversial combination of two studies: the origins and evolution of reinforced concrete and the life and work of the seminal French architect Auguste Perret. Collins provides a thorough history of the new nineteenth century material and goes on to examine the theories on its architectural expression, focussing on the determining role of the reinforced concrete frame. He argues that Perret provides the first rational and effective expression of classical principles in modern concrete construction. Published in 1959 and out of print since 1975, this new edition of Concrete includes a foreword by Kenneth Frampton, a scholarly introduction by Rejean Legault, and several additional essays on Perret by Peter Collins.