Precision, performance and technical appearance are all important attributes of steel. In this issue of DETAIL, the ­Fellows Pavilion of the American Academy in Berlin and the EU Council headquarters in Brussels comply with this image in quite different ways.

In contrast, the monumental structure over the Telcel Theatre in Mexico City demonstrates the archaic sculptural strength of the material, while the sensual qualities of the sheet-steel outer skin of a building can be seen in the pumping station in Bochum. Constructional intelligence is the overriding theme of the introductory article about the lamella halls of aviation engineer Hugo Junkers as it is of the feature on the demanding manufacture and enormous performance of steel monocoque structures.