Modest spectacle: Tom Kundig presents a new monograph of Works
Tom Kundig's architecture combines an extraordinary attention to detail with a richly patinated palette of materials. The Seattle-based architect works in partnership with Jim Olson, although both designers tend to have their own independent projects (and monographs). Works is the latest tome on Kundig's quietly prolific output, a portfolio of relatively modest but undeniably spectacular homes that exploit the topography, views and atmosphere of their sites down to every last detail.
The book features 19 projects from around the world, although the majority are residences in the US. These include the spectacular Studhorse retreat in Washington and a grand six-storey New York townhouse. In almost every project, there's not only a relish for the texture and surface of tough, unadorned materials like wood, steel, concrete and iron, but also a love of kineticism, machinery and the monumental.
Kundig – and his collaborators and specialists – create a modern aesthetic that doesn't rely on seamlessly hidden sources of power or mystical minimalism. Instead, pulleys heave, handles turn and gears interlock, creating houses and cabins with vast opening windows, enveloping shutter systems and transformable facades. These mechanical preoccupations provide the thread of unity, whether the project is a major new art gallery or a tiny fishing cabin in Washington State, designed to function in as straightforward and pragmatic a way as possible.
Kundig's work is now much in demand. The book is filled with design sketches and personal recollections but still can't quite convey the enormity and complexity of some of these works – and the sheer effort that has gone into making them appear so effortless. Many contemporary architects profess a strong connection to site regardless of their aesthetic preoccupations. However, few have made such a convincing case of how to be uncompromising as Kundig.
INFORMATION
Works, by Tom Kundig, $65, published by Princeton Architectural Press. For more information, visit PAP’s website
Photography courtesy of Princeton Architectural Press
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Jonathan Bell has written for Wallpaper* magazine since 1999, covering everything from architecture and transport design to books, tech and graphic design. He is now the magazine’s Transport and Technology Editor. Jonathan has written and edited 15 books, including Concept Car Design, 21st Century House, and The New Modern House. He is also the host of Wallpaper’s first podcast.
-
Where to eat sushi in London
From high-end hotels to supermarket pop-ups, food critic Ben McCormack recommends London's best sushi spots
By Ben McCormack Published
-
Don't miss these films at the BFI London Film Festival 2024
The BFI has announced the lineup for their 68th festival, and it's a stellar one
By Billie Walker Published
-
The mibot is a tiny single-seater ‘mobility robot’ for traversing Japan’s crowded city centres
Japan is the undisputed centre of compact car culture, and KG Motors' new mibot is one of a new wave of micro-EVs that look set to take the country’s cities by storm
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
'Tropicality' explored in Indonesian architect Andra Matin’s first monograph
'Tropicality' is a key theme in a new book on Indonesian architect Andra Matin, whose work blends landscape, architecture and living
By Harriet Thorpe Published
-
‘A Time ⋅ A Place’ is a lovingly compiled photographic portrait of cars and architecture
‘A Time ⋅ A Place’ is a celebration of the European Car of the Year and changing perceptions of modern design, pairing the best buildings of the age with their automotive contemporaries
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Álvaro Siza’s new monograph through the lens of Duccio Malagamba is impactful and immersive
Álvaro Siza and photographer Duccio Malagamba collaborate on a new monograph by Phaidon; ‘Before / After: Álvaro Siza Duccio Malagamba’ celebrates the Portuguese architect's work
By Michael Webb Published
-
Marcio Kogan’s Studio MK27 celebrated in this new monograph from Rizzoli
‘The Architecture of Studio MK27. Lights, camera, action’ is a richly illustrated journey through the evolution of this famed Brazilian architecture studio
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
‘Interior sculptor’ Christophe Gevers’ oeuvre is celebrated in new book
‘Christophe Gevers’ is a sleek monograph dedicated to the Belgian's life work as an interior architect, designer, sculptor and inventor, with unseen photography by Jean-Pierre Gabriel
By Tianna Williams Published
-
Flick through ‘Brutal Wales’, a book celebrating concrete architecture
‘Brutal Wales’ book zooms into a selection of concrete Welsh architecture treasures through the lens of photographer Simon Phipps
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Architecture books to inspire shelf love
Here at Wallpaper*, we’ve got architecture books piling up; among them, these are the photographic tomes, architects’ monographs and limited editions that we couldn’t resist
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Dalarö House by Olson Kundig is a rock star
Dalarö House, US practice Olson Kundig’s first build in Sweden, takes centre stage in the Stockholm archipelago
By Ellie Stathaki Published