Over the course of a career spanning more than fifty years Seattle-based architect Jim Olson
of Olson Kundig has made his name designing a broad range of buildings that sensitively
respond to their environment. Initially drawing from his close connection to the nature and
culture of the Pacific Northwest he has attracted an international reputation for designing
houses for art collectors around the world. Considered together his buildings reveal an
exceptional interplay between art light nature craft and architecture which can be
experienced in a range of projects that span the globe from Mexico to South-East Asia. This
complete overview of many decades of carefully considered buildings begins with an extended
essay by Aaron Betsky who considers the intimate relationship between Olson's natural
surroundings and love of art and his design process over the course of his career. This is
followed by a selection of twenty-eight of Olson's recent projects interspersed with private
sketches and his reflections on architecture and the creative process. The final reference
section includes an extensive illustrated chronology of the architect's entire corpus.
