Macaulay was born on Dec. 2, 1946, in Burton-on-Trent, England, but his family moved to New Jersey when he was 11. He became fascinated with technology as a youngster and spent much of his time building things. After receiving a bachelor's degree in architecture from the Rhode Island School of Design in 1969, he briefly worked as a junior high school art teacher and as an interior designer before launching a career in children's literature. Through the years he taught numerous design and illustration classes at his alma mater as well as at other institutions.

Macaulay was a runner-up for the 1974 Caldecott Medal for his first book, ‘Cathedral' (1973). With straightforward yet entertaining text and detailed line drawings, he chronicled the step-by-step construction of an imaginary medieval cathedral. He followed up ‘Cathedral' with similar books about other structures and the cultures they served, each involving extensive research. ‘Pyramid' (1975) and ‘Castle' (1977) were both selected as Boston Globe–Horn Book Honor Books, and ‘Castle' was also a 1978 Caldecott Honor Book. ‘Underground' (1976) explained the workings of things found under a city street, while ‘Unbuilding' (1980) speculated about how one could disassemble the Empire State Building. One of Macaulay's best-known publications was ‘The Way Things Work' (1988), in which he sought to demystify a variety of items; it won the 1989 Boston Globe–Horn Book award in the nonfiction category.

Macaulay also experimented with other styles of books. He received the 1991 Caldecott Medal for ‘Black and White' (1990), a multidimensional story that demanded close inspection of the text and the collage-style pictures. ‘Great Moments in Architecture' (1978), ‘Motel of the Mysteries' (1979), and ‘Why the Chicken Crossed the Road' (1987) demonstrated Macaulay's talent for humor. He also illustrated a few texts by other authors, including David L. Porter's ‘Help! Let Me Out!' (1982).

Macaulay was honored by a variety of organizations, including the American Institute of Architects, the New York Times, the American Institute of Physics, and the School Library Journal. In 1984 he was a nominee for the prestigious Hans Christian Andersen Medal. His books were used in college courses on architecture and design to help students learn about logic, problem solving, and creativity. In addition, the Public Broadcasting System adapted several of his books for television.