complete houses: new monograph gathers a lifetime of experimental homes by tom kundig

"Seattle-based architect Tom Kundig has long approached the house as a field for experimentation - a typology that allows for direct engagement with materials and with the landscape. His forthcoming book, Tom Kundig: Complete Houses, published by Monacelli, consolidates this lifelong investigation into a single, definitive volume. Documenting 462 projects across nearly forty years, the 600-page publication captures the evolution of Kundig's oeuvre through an extensive visual and textual record."

"Among the architect's total body of work, Tom Kundig: Complete Houses highlights a selection of thirty-eight residences for more in-depth analysis. Twelve of these are newly completed and published here for the first time. Each is accompanied by photography, hand-drawn sketches, and interviews between Kundig and editor Dung Ngo that trace his influences, from his Swiss heritage to his architectural training at the University of Washington."

"Kundig's residential work is marked by a fascination with movement and adaptability. Many of his projects incorporate mechanical systems - large pivoting windows, sliding walls, and operable facades - that merge the boundary between enclosure and environment. Moreover, the book points to the architect's sensitivity to craft and the tactile presence of structure."

Tom Kundig treats the house as an experimental field that directly engages materials and landscape. A comprehensive 600-page record documents 462 projects across nearly forty years, capturing visual and textual evidence of design evolution. Projects span forested Pacific Northwest archipelagos, arid Mexican deserts, and volcanic Hawaiian terrain, unified by priorities of space, light, material, and view. Thirty-eight residences receive in-depth analysis, including twelve newly completed works supported by photography, hand-drawn sketches, and interviews tracing Swiss heritage and University of Washington training influences. Residential designs foreground movement and adaptability through mechanical systems while maintaining strong craft and tactile structural presence.

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