Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects: Architecture, Art, and Craft

The Monacelli Press | 2003/01

Over 35 years, Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects created a body of architecture recognized for its ability to merge notions of materiality, craft and lightness, all of which are richly demonstrated in their work on art collectors’ residences and art museums. The firm began its creative existence with architect Jim Olson, whose work in the late 1960s explored the complex relationship between dwellings and the landscape they inhabit.

In the early 1970s the growing firm broadened its emphasis to include urbanism and the landscape of the city. Though firmly rooted in the regional features of the Pacific Northwest—its unique climate and dramatic landscape—the firm’s work extends beyond any regionalist classification. Instead, their projects are characterized by a relaxed modernism that is attuned to its regional context. Each of the projects featured in this volume exhibit a striking use of both natural and highly refined materials, masterful modulation of light, a careful balance between monumentality and intimacy, and frequent collaborations with artists and craftsmen, especially glass artists such as Ed Carpenter.

Essay by Paul Goldberger
Published by The Monacelli Press