Cooling Towers presents a systematic and typological study of industrial structures, focusing on the architectural and functional features of cooling towers. The photographic approach emphasizes detailed, front-on, symmetrical compositions that isolate each tower against neutral backgrounds, highlighting form and materiality over context or environment.

Bernd and Hilla Becher’s work captures the repetitive and modular aesthetics of industrial infrastructure, inviting viewers to consider these utilitarian objects as subjects of formal inquiry. The 248-page book, published by The MIT Press in 2006, allows for a comprehensive visual analysis through consistent framing and lighting.