Concentrating on the significance of representations of Mies van der Rohe as constructed images of 'the architect', Detlef Mertins delves into the topic of ethical self-fashioning, greatness and fame. Mertins is Professor and Chair of the Architecture Department at the University of Pennsylvania. He has published and lectured extensively on the history and theory of architectural modernity and has organised major international design competitions. His books include The Victory of the New Building Style; The Presence of Mies; and Metropolitan Mutations: The Architecture of Emerging Public Spaces.