MOS: Selected Works by Michael Meredith, Hilary Sample
Princeton Architectural Press, 2015
Hardcover, 288 pages

In early 2013, MOS Architects released their first book, Everything All at Once. Those eager for a full-blown monograph on the small yet highly inventive practice of Michael Meredith and Hilary Sample were probably disappointed, since, as the subtitle of that book attests, it comprised only the "Software, Videos, and Architecture of MOS." The architecture in that book was limited to temporary structures and pavilions, so buildings were missing alongside the software and videos. This meant a more traditional monograph would follow soon enough. While Selected Works can be seen as that missing piece, it's still far removed from a traditional monograph, which collects projects through photographs, drawings, models and descriptive text, putting them alongside an essay or two by outside critics. These ingredients are all here, but the way they are shaped and combined is wholly unique and just as satisfying as their first book.
A couple unique aspects are evident even before opening the book. First, the book is small for a monograph. MOS opted for a size closer to that of, say, a guidebook or a (slim) bible than a coffee table monograph. This lends some immediacy to the book, allowing it to be read while held rather than on a surface, be it a coffee table or desk; I started reading it on the train during my morning commute. Second, the S and W of ...