When visionary architect László Toth (Adrien Brody) and his wife Erzsébet (Felicity Jones) flee Europe following WWII to rebuild their legacy and witness the birth of modern America, their lives are changed forever by a mysterious and wealthy client.

László initially endures poverty and indignity, but the architect's genius is soon recognized by the seemingly charming industrialist Harrison Lee Van Buren (Guy Pearce). Van Buren offers László and his family the American Dream on a silver platter, commissioning him to design a grand modernist monument and help shape the landscape of the country he now calls home. It will be the most ambitious project of his career, one that will take László and Erzsébet to both monumental heights and devastating lows.