Monterrey is known as „the city of the mountains“, in refer­ence to its privileged location at the foothills of the Sierra Madre. The city, founded in 1596, remained dormant until the turn of the 20th century, when it went through a period of rapid industrial growth that transformed it into a prosperous city. Today, Monterrey is an important metropolis brimming with culture, education, and business.

This book explores how architecture contributed to the transformation of this city. It presents Monterrey’s colonial origins – ever present in the Barrio Antiguo – and the breweries and foundries that played a central role in the city’s industrial­isation. The book also explores how the spirit of modernity is reflected in the works of several famous ­Mexican architects – such as Mario Pani, Enrique de la Mora, and Luis Barragán – and finally arrives at the rapid growth of residential, corporate, and commercial developments currently taking place, with designs by internationally renowned architects such as ­Nicholas Grimshaw, Tadao Ando, Norman Foster, Zaha Hadid, and Alejandro Aravena.