Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Another good architect and fairish architectural book., 25 Jun 2001
By A Customer
This book looks architectural: grey and white with tracing paper dust cover. But, what an architect seeks in a colleague's book is to take a look at his frame of mind: what he is up to. This is illustrated with good photos, some computer generated perspectives, a couple of free hand drawings -obviously made for the book and modishly printed white line on grey- some smallish footprints, no cross sections or details. The problem with minimal architecture, which some degrade into decoration, is that it looks cosmetic (exept some outstanding work like the Pawson-Silvestrin Neuendorf villa). The book lacks probing into architecture to see how Pawson makes it work or what he is concealing. More important: there is no insight into his philosophy, process or creative ideas, exept some mention of over mentioned cistercian monks. Instead, after some biographical information and praise, the author (Dejan Sudjic) thickens the tome with gossip about Calvin Klein, Martha Stewart and some insight of U.S.of A. everyday folklore like: quote "never less than tree recreational vehicles, barely house trained pick up trucks, pumped up in steroids so that they require a step ladder just to reach the running board", and rants about Bilbao Guggenheim suitability. This makes the volume a smallish coffe table book. It is a pity because even though his Minimum book is one of the unstopable stream (cataract) of photo-source books, it is quite dignified, probably outstanding, only under the Stotsass's "The curious Mr. Stotsass". This much waited for book gets bogged into coffe table niceness. Nevertheless it is much better than his ex partner Silvestrin's design nightmare (read my review).
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fascinating insight into minimalist architecture, 12 Jan 2001
By A Customer
My own introduction to Pawson was a visit to the Calvin Klein store in New York, which appeared at first glance to be a store with no merchandise! However a little time spent looking around resulted in an appreciation of the architecture possibly at the expense of the clothes themselves.The book explains admirably how the designer takes a brief and produces what are, in my mind, seriously impressive spaces. I will admit though to having some difficulty in seeing how people actually live in such an environment, do the day to day objects reappear once the camera has gone? I would recommend this book to anyone interested in contemporary architecture and interiors, as a very readable account of the design process.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A long time in coming, but well worth the wait., 2 Aug 2000
For the last 10 years I have followed the work of this man, however with the exception of minimum, books on his work have been few & far between. Works brings together ten projects spanning both the commercial & residential aspects of pawson's work. Taking views from the architect, client & critic, it is interesting to read different approaches & reactions to his work. Living in a minimalist barn myself,I was relieved to read that even pawson himself has to adjust to live in this most demanding yet stimulating of environments. I look forward to his next work, although with the content & breath taking photography of this volume, it will certainly be a hard act to follow.
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