But in the end i think authorship cant be avoided in architecture architecture is more than just building it creates an additional value a surplus an extreme example is jean prouves maison tropicale which was disassembled and transported from its original site in africa and sold in new york city by christies in this kind of transaction a work of architecture becomes a collectible item similar to an artwork. Architecture and authorship is a reader in architectural theory that explores how architects have operated historically and in contemporary contexts in relation to changing paradigms of authorship. Architecture and authorship comprises 17 essays encompassing a variety of contemporary and historical case studies which explore issues of authorship ownership and copyright in architecture the book documents how from the fifteenth century onwards individual architects and movements have endeavoured to maintain their status by defending what they see as their own unique territory the origins and intentions of their work and their signature style written contributions . The notion of authorship has always been central to architecture who makes architecture and what does that person actually do surprisingly despite exceptions such as andrew saints image of the architect 1983 and torsten schmiedeknecht and julia chances fame and architecture 2001 few have chosen to explore this puzzling affair. Comprises 17 essays encompassing contemporary and historical case studies which explore issues of authorship ownership and copyright in architecture this book documents how from the 15th century onwards individual architects and movements have endeavoured to maintain their status by defending what they see as their own unique territory