When we think of how architecture is practised, we tend to think of sketches and diagrams, plans and physical models. However, these represent only a small portion of the full story. Architectural production today encompasses myriad documents that defy the traditional conventions of the profession.

The book ‘Better Together: (33) Documents of Contemporary Australian Architecture & Their Associated Short Stories’ examines 33 artefacts involved in the design and construction of contemporary architecture. The book’s definition of architectural documents is expansive, encompassing not just working drawings, but correspondence, contracts, mock-ups and 1:1 models, journalism, photography, and other formats that address the unique processes of contemporary architectural production.

Originally developed as an exhibition at Monash University’s MADA Gallery, before the pandemic forced those plans to be cancelled, ‘Better Together’ serves as a cross-section of work from some of the most compelling Australian architects practising today. It also presents a new framework for how we structure, record, and understand contemporary architecture.