大卫•麦考利，1946年生于英国，11岁时移居美国。他的作品曾获诸多国际大奖，包括凯迪克奖金奖、波士顿环球报号角图书奖、美国建筑师协会特别奖、华盛顿知识类儿童读物奖、德国青少年文学奖，以及荷兰银铅笔奖，本人还曾经两度获得国际安徒生大奖提名。

1973年，他出版了第一本书《大教堂》，并获得了1974年凯迪克银奖。此后他开启一系列创作，并获得各种奖项。1990年，他出版了《黑与白》，获得了1991年的凯迪克奖金奖。《时代》杂志的一位作家曾评论道：“麦考利画得比世界上任何一位钢笔墨水插画家都好。”他的图书在美国已经售出200万册以上，作品被翻译成了10 多种语言。

Why this shape and not that? Why steel instead of concrete or stone? Why put it here and not over there? These are the kinds of questions that David Macaulay asks himself when he observes an architectural wonder. These questions take him back to the basic process of design from which all structures begin, from the realization of a need for the structure to the struggles of the engineers and designers to map out and create the final construction. As only he can, David Macaulay engages readers' imaginations and gets them thinking about structures they see and use every day -- bridges, tunnels, skyscrapers, domes, and dams. In Building Big he focuses on the connections between the planning and design problems and the solutions that are finally reached. Whether a structure is imposing or inspiring, he shows us that common sense and logic play just as important a part in architecture as imagination and technology do. As always, Macaulay inspires readers of all ages to look at their world in a new way.