Overview

John Pawson (b.1949) is the foremost proponent of a minimal aesthetic in architecture and design. Already known to designers for his ascetic yet luxurious interiors, he has attained public acclaim for his high-profile retail projects such as the Calvin Klein flagship store in New York, his celebrity clients like Martha Stewart and his book Minimum. This book looks at the spatial themes that dominate Pawson's work, through a close examination of a range of different projects. It explores how light, mass and structure inform the architecture and the role of ritual and order, as well as the integration of internal and external spaces. Six new projects are featured: products for 'When Objects Work', Calvin Klein Paris, Vacheron Constantin in Geneva, the Marketmuseum in the UK, a private house in Germany and the Novy Dvur monastery in the Czech Republic. Essays by Deyan Sudjic, Sam Hecht, Michael Craig-Martin, Phoebe Greenwood, Robert Winder, Kate Bucknell, Bruce Chatwin and Father Samuel describe the effects of these spaces. Like John Pawson Works, this compilation is a record of Pawson's developing approach to design and his unique position at the meeting point of art and design, through which his ethos offers incisive insights into culture, society and architecture.

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9780714844527

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Reviews

'It is the book's central essay by Deyan Sudjic that gets closest to what makes Pawson so compelling as a designer. Sudjic allies Pawson with a diverse group of self-taught designers, including Jean Prouve, Pierre Chareau, Tadao Ando and Craig Ellwood, all of whom had or have idiosyncratic styles and real personality. Pawson is best seen in this light - as someone pursuing an individual path whose rigour and commitment is unmistakable... a beautiful volume.' Modern Painters 'Characteristic of John Pawson's unique viewpoint on the junction of art and design, it also offers much wider insights into culture, society and architecture.' The Property Executive 'John Pawson's immaculate spaces are said to inspire religious awe, and this generously illustrated monograph adroitly recreates that impression... The book is a luscious introduction to a luxuriously empty world.' Azure

'A beautiful volume and an easy introduction to his [i.e. Pawson's] work.' (Modern Painters) 'This impressive...collection of essays on John Pawson will surely find its way onto many a designer's shelf, as both visual reference and essential welcome reading for all new recruits...The book is resolutely not a typical wide-angle brochure of Pawson's work. It instead attempts to assess the real value of architecture which celebrates texture, light, mass and ritual. What with all the recent attention given to 'minimalism', you could mistakenly believe you know all you need to about John Pawson's work. Read this book to know that there's more than the 'less is more' mantra suggests.' (Theme) 'Characteristic of John Pawson's unique viewpoint on the junction of art and design, it also offers much wider insights into culture, society and architecture.' (Property Executive) 'John Pawson's immaculate spaces are said to inspire religious awe, and this generously illustrated monograph adroitly recreates that impression...The book is a luscious introduction into a luxuriously empty world.' (Azur)

'A beautiful volume and an easy introduction to his [i.e. Pawson's] work.' (Modern Painters) 'This impressivea |collection of essays on John Pawson will surely find its way onto many a designer's shelf, as both visual reference and essential welcome reading for all new recruitsa |The book is resolutely not a typical wide-angle brochure of Pawson's work. It instead attempts to assess the real value of architecture which celebrates texture, light, mass and ritual. What with all the recent attention given to 'minimalism', you could mistakenly believe you know all you need to about John Pawson's work. Read this book to know that there's more than the 'less is more' mantra suggests.' (Theme) 'Characteristic of John Pawsona (TM)s unique viewpoint on the junction of art and design, it also offers much wider insights into culture, society and architecture.' (Property Executive) 'John Pawsona (TM)s immaculate spaces are said to inspire religious awe, and this generously illustrated monograph adroitly recreates that impressiona |The book is a luscious introduction into a luxuriously empty world.' (Azur)

Author Information

Dejan Sudjic was formerly editor of Blueprint and Domus magazines, and Director of Glasgow 1999: UK City of Architecture and Design and the Venice Architectural Biennale 2002. Architecture critic of The Observer, he has written many books, including John Pawson Works, The 100 Mile City (1992), Blade of light: the Story of London's Millenium Bridge (2002) and Ron Arad published by Phaidon. Further contributing authors include Anita Moryadas, Sam Hecht, Phoebe Greenwood, Robert Winder, Alison Morris, Bruce Chatwin, Michael Craig-Martin, Katherine Bucknell and Father Samuel from the monastery at Novy Dvur.

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