John Pawson's visual inventory provides a rich glimpse into his creative world

John Pawson A Visual Inventory
John Pawson's 320-page book, entitled 'A Visual Inventory', is a visual journey through the details, textures, spatial qualities and even coincidental arrangements that have informed his designs through the years
(Image credit: press)

If you have ever wondered what inspires leading British architect John Pawson in his work, then this book will offer an insight into the minimalist's mind. Published by Phaidon and aptly entitled A Visual Inventory, the 320-page tome provides a rich glimpse into Pawson's creative world.

A journey through the details, textures, spatial qualities and even coincidental arrangements that have informed his designs through the years, this book presents a selection of the some 200,000 beautiful photographs Pawson has taken during his 30 year-long career. What could be described as a visual diary is indeed a genuine library of forms, volumes, materials and patterns, as seen through the architect's eye.

Each allocated their own page for suitable 'breathing space', the images are accompanied by Pawson's personal notes and appear in their original state (uncropped and untreated). These photographs explore the architectural elements and fascinations Pawson investigates with his work, such as light, proportion and material.

A Visual Inventory also spans different countries and periods - from Pawson's visit to Peter Zumthor's St Benedict's Chapel in Switzerland, to when he was designing key works like the new Cistercian monastery in Bohemia, and more recent work trips to Japan, Seoul, New York and Paris. The compositions, like his architecture, are serene but powerful.

The book is now on sale and is the latest addition to Phaidon's Pawson offerings - three monographs are already out, as well as a book the architect himself wrote in 1996. And if this is not enough for an in-depth look into John Pawson's sensibility and approach, then a visit to the Architekturmuseum in Munich for his first major show in Germany is a must, running until 20 May 2012.

John Pawson A Visual Inventory

The book presents some 200,000 beautiful photographs Pawson has taken during his 30 year-long career. Pictured here is a spread detailing, from left: Louvre Museum, Paris, France, January 2011; New York, USA, November 2009

(Image credit: press)

page for suitable 'breathing space

Each allocated their own page for suitable 'breathing space', images are accompanied by Pawson's personal notes and appear in their original state (uncropped and untreated)

(Image credit: press)

A minimalist detail of Pawson House, London

A minimalist detail of Pawson House, London, June 2009

(Image credit: press)

John Pawson A Visual Inventory

A spread detailing, from left: Pawson House, London, June 2003; The Himalayas, India, January 2011

(Image credit: press)

Woodland Cemetery, Stockholm, Sweden

Woodland Cemetery, Stockholm, Sweden, March 2011

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Athens airport, Greece

Athens airport, Greece, August 2010

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John Pawson A Visual Inventory

Arizona, USA, February 2005

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Hoover Dam, Arizona/Nevada border, USA

Hoover Dam, Arizona/Nevada border, USA, February 2005

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Pawson House, London

Pawson House, London, November 2009

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The Acropolis, Athens, Greece

A spread detailing, from left: The Acropolis, Athens, Greece, December 2009; Zion Canyon, Utah, USA, February 2009

(Image credit: press)

The Acropolis, Athens, Greece

A spread detailing, from left: The Acropolis, Athens, Greece, December 2009; Zion Canyon, Utah, USA, February 2009

(Image credit: press)

Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).