The thesis of this book is that architecture is produced by models of thought, the ruins of history, and the construction of power. All acts of architecture are theoretical and political, and all ideas serve as tools; as such, the aim of the book is to examine the primary generators of architecture and to re-establish political and critical positions within the discipline. It examines how architecture is made, establishing a strong connection between the physical organization of the world and its political dimension, through contributions from practicing architects, academics, and writers from within and without architecture.

We Live in Models reintroduces writing, drawing, and photography beyond their representational forms as critical vessels for making, analyzing, and criticizing architecture.