Small Architecture

Par (auteur) Philip Jodidio; Par (auteur) Jodidio Philip
Short description/annotation
With cost and space often at a premium, small but perfectly formed buildings are a popular architectural challenge. From world-famous names such as Toyo Ito and Zaha Hadid to the best in new international talent, architects around the world showcase the creative possibilities of compact dimensions.
Description

Over the years, talented architects have occasionally indulged themselves with the challenge of designing small but perfectly formed buildings. Today, with reduced budgets, many architects have turned in a more focused way to creating works that may be diminutive in their dimensions, but are definitely big when it comes to trendsetting ideas. Whether in Japanese cities, where large sites are hard to come by, or at the frontier between art and architecture, small buildings present many advantages, and push their designers to do more with less.

A dollhouse for Calvin Klein in New York, a playhouse for children in Trondheim, vacation cabins, and housing for victims of natural disasters are all part of the new rush to develop the great small architecture of the moment. The 2013 Pritzker Prize winner Toyo Ito is here, but so are emergent architects from Portugal, Chile, England, and New Zealand. From world-famous names to the freshest new talent, come discover architectural invention on a whole new, small scale.

About the series

Bibliotheca Universalis — Compact cultural companions celebrating the eclectic TASCHEN universe!

Review quote
“Whether in Washington, Hokkaido, or anywhere in between, these projects prove not only intimate but innovative.”
Biographical note
Philip Jodidio studied art history and economics at Harvard and edited Connaissance des Arts for over 20 years. His TASCHEN books include the Architecture Now! series and monographs on Tadao Ando, Santiago Calatrava, Renzo Piano, Jean Nouvel, Shigeru Ban, Kengo Kuma, Zaha Hadid, and Norman Foster.