Norman Klein introduces Jon Jerde as the most influential figure in shopping mall design in the last fifteen years.

Jerde begins with a discussion of the theoretical principles that have informed his latest work, stressing the importance of the field over the object. Jerde describes how his firm operates and how its identity has been established. He discusses globalism, coexisting cultures, and how this informs projects.

Jerde presents a series of projects built around the world. He describes his projects in Japan, including Canal City Hakata in Fukuoka, which included water and nature in a mixed-use center. Jerde examines the development of Universal CityWalk, stressing the establishment of a formal language that responds to the context of Los Angeles. He documents a master-planning project for the island of Mallorca, noting the historical context, geography, and the process of collaboration with a local architect.