Tom Kundig: Houses [Hardcover]

Dung Ngo (Author), Steven Holl (Contributor), Rick Joy (Contributor), Billie Tsien (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 9, 2006

The work of Seattle-based architect Tom Kundig has been called both raw and refined, as well as super-crafted and warm. Kundig's projects, especially his houses, uniquely combine these two seemingly disparate sets of characteristics to produce some of the most inventive structures found in the architecture world today. Kundig's internationally acclaimed work is inspired by both the industrial structures with which he grew up in the Pacific Northwest and the vibrant craft cultures that are fostered there. His buildings uniquely meld industrial sensibilities and materials such as Cor-ten steel and concrete with an intuitive understanding of scale. As Kundig states, "The idea is insaperable from the fabrication, inseparable from the materials used."

Tom Kundig: Houses presents five projects in depth, from their early conceptual sketches to their final lovingly wrought, intimate details. Kundig's houses reflect a sustained and active collaborative process between designer, craftsmen, and owners, resulting in houses that bring to life the architect's intentions, the materials used, and lines of unforgettable beauty.

Editorial Reviews

Review

(This book) should find its way to the bookshelves of everyone interested in remarkable contemporary domestic architecture... If there is a current master of the modern house, it must be Kundig. -- Hinge, Feb. 2007

...these houses not only convey the keen eye of the architect's inspiration but also the awe-inspiring backdrop of the Pacific Northwest. -- RIBA, Nov. 2006

Documents five splendid but very different houses in the Pacific Northwest. . . . The careful layout of color photographs conveys the architect's masterful handling of space and light. One client says that sitting in the 1,000-square-foot studio Kundig designed for him is "like being in my brain." In that case, his brain is a fascinating space. -- Art + Auction, April 2007

Intriguing pictures... a welcome resource on a local architect. -- Seattle Times & Post Intelligencer, Dec. 10, 2006

The book (gives) us unique insight into the evolution of this gifted designer's architectural vocabulary and the collaboration with craftspeople and clients that make it come alive. -- World Architecture News, February 2007

The houses featured in the book reveal Kundig's interest in combining art, craft and the experience of built space with respect for the environment. -- Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce, Nov. 15, 2006

"One of Kundig's fascinations is what he likes to call 'gizmos' -- mechanical devices that evoke a certain 19th century charm, taking form in operable contraptions constructed of gears, rods, cables, cranks and levers, a kind of romantic Jules Verne vision of technology." -- Arcade

"An informative write-up on each project accompanies dozens of photos, line drawings, hand sketches, plans, elevations, sections, and captions. Insightful essays . . . are interspersed throughout the volume. " -- Residential Architect

"(Kundig) has a unique style that comes from incorporating his passion for physics and mechanics. The book gives a taste of what Kundig is capable of doing both architecturally and mechanically, though each featured home could easily fill the nearly 200 pages on their own." --Builder News

"Intriguing pictures of artist Carol Bobo's 'Studio House' and the lofty 'Brain Studio' Kundig put together for film director David Wild are highlights of the book, not to mention Michael Friedrich's succinct little 'Delta Shelter' weekend getaway. . . . A welcome resource on a local architect." --Sunday Seattle Times & Post Intelligencer

"Kundig's details inspire a childlike curiosity that begs people to take his work apart and learn how it operates. . . . It is difficult not to be captured by the obsessive minutia and mechanistic moments in these houses.Tom Kundig has proved himself an architect with a crafty aesthetic that can become addictive. No doubt his image-heavy monograph will feed the fever." --Architectural Record

"Creating some of the most innovative structures today, Kundig's buildings uniquely meld industrial sensibilities and such materials as steel and concrete with an intuitive understanding of scale." --Innovative Home

"The internationally acclaimed houses featured in the book reveal Kundig's reverence for materials, while combining art, craft and the experience of built space with respect for the environment." -- World Architecture News

"An in-depth look at five projects by a Seattle-based talent who is one of the standard-bearers of homes that seamlessly blend the natural and the industrial." -- Metropolitan Home

"The Seattle architectural firm Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen is known for making buildings that are friendly to art, so its no suprise that partner Tom Kundigs houses are geared to promoting creativity and serenity." --Odessa American

"Examines (Kundig's) projects closely, exploring and explaining (his) penchant for making mechanical devices--he calls them 'gizmos'--part of a design. It also illuminates the ways in which his personal experiences, including an apprenticeship with the sculptor Harold Balazs and a passion for mountain climbing, have influenced his work. Kundig continues to push residential design into uncharted territory." --Residential Architect

"Residing in Seattle, Tom Kundig has more than just a little of the eccentric genius about him. Even if youve never heard of him, this book will have you ooohing and ahhhing at his extraordinary architecture." -- Houses (Issue 55)

About the Author

Dung Ngo is the author of numerous design books including Bent Ply: The Art of Plywood Furniture, World House Now, and Art + Architrecture: The Ebsworth Collection and Residence.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Princeton Architectural Press; 1 edition (November 9, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 156898605X
• ISBN-13: 978-1568986050
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 8.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #108,537 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Lots of content, February 10, 2007

By 

Brandon Skinner (Encinitas, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tom Kundig: Houses (Hardcover)

I own many books dedicated to a single architects work. Often times these type of books display two or three rooms of a house and never get into the nitty gritty of a project. "Tom Kundig: Houses" is different. This book leaves little to the imagination, offering sometimes up to 15-20 pages to a single project. The pictures are very clear and tell a lot about the concept of a house as a whole. The only knock I'd say is that every project is so similar to the next that it becomes hard to differentiate. But if you admire his style, that shouldn't be much of a problem.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing craftsmanship and details illustrated, November 29, 2008

By 

Heejae Lee "hjl studio" (Seoul, Korea) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Tom Kundig: Houses (Hardcover)

I first came across Tom Kundig's works in the monograph for Olson Sundberg Kindig Allen's monograph (Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects: Architecture, Art, and Craft) and was amazed then at the refined "human" touch of materials and finishes chosen for the projects.
This book focuses further on this aesthetic appeal by showcasing Tom Kundig's houses only. It shows some of the numerous sketches and drawings that Tom Kundig drew in order to convey his ideas to the client/contractor. The level of details depicted in the photography is also breathtaking as it reveals the intricate details of bespoke door handles, hinges, rollers that the architect custom designed. I only wish I knew how long and how much each of his projects must've costed his clients because this level of detail in any residence is very. very rare.
I highly recommend this book for anyone that is interested in modern houses that uses rustic materials in a refined composition~

amassingdesign.blogspot

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dream Houses, February 3, 2010

By 

Mr. Williams "Book Maniac" (Here and There) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Tom Kundig: Houses (Hardcover)

Well made and laid out book. Shows floor plans and plenty of descriptions. IMHO, Tom Kundig is the Frank L. Wright of the 21st Century with his unique designs and innovations. Architecture that is thinking "outside the box". Have had many of my friends browse through this book at my house, and their expression and comments are always "WOW!". I really like the Delta Shelter in the book. Many inspirations for my future Dream Cabin.