Koichi Takada - (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

The first monograph on the Japanese-born, Sydney-based architect, celebrated for his innovative holistic approach to design, nature, and urbanism.

Koichi Takada is part of a new generation of architects striving to bring nature back into the urban environment--an approach he developed after living in Tokyo, New York, and London. His architecture reconnects people to the natural environment, drawing inspiration from organic forms and local contexts.

This elegant volume showcases a series of Takada's recent projects, illustrating the unique way his talent connects the natural and the designed, and how it has evolved over the last ten years. Beautiful photographs of buildings and interiors juxtapose against sketches and images of nature--illustrating the aesthetic inspirations behind the designs and the way they embody light, air, and even sound. Philip Jodidio's texts guide readers through the range of spaces that span from the interiors of the award-winning National Museum of Qatar in Doha and Urban Forest in Brisbane, the "greenest residential building in Australia," to striking buildings in Sydney, Melbourne, Los Angeles, China, and the construction of a new space in Tokyo. This unique architectural journey will inspire readers to see architecture with a new mindset.

Review Quotes

"Koichi Takada's architecture reflects contemporary needs and concerns, namely, the desire for more biophilic buildings and interiors that incorporate aspects of the outside world. His book takes the reader through a few of these projects, like his award-winning gift shop at the National Museum of Qatar (on the cover) that resembles an undulating wooden cave, as well as his plans for a 30-story high-rise in Brisbane that's covered in trees. It may even inspire you to add a fiddle-leaf fig or two to your own space after reading." --WALL STREET JOURNAL

"Koichi Takada is a name to know. For those who might not be up on his impressive architectural creations--which range from minimalist Doha restaurants to creative interpretations of classic brick exteriors--this premier monograph serves as a welcome point of introduction. As writer Philip Jodidio notes: "The world of contemporary architecture is changing." If it looks anything like Takada's imaginative, nature-inspired creations, we're on board." --ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST

"For the past decade, architect Koichi Takada has strived to create architecture that is both inspirational and sustainable. This volume surveys his firm's buildings to date, ones that are as conscientious of the environment as they are breathtaking." --ELLE DECOR

About the Author

Koichi Takada graduated from AA School of Architecture, London, and established his own practice, Koichi Takada Architects, in 2008. Philip Jodidio is a specialist in contemporary architecture. As well as having been the editor in chief of the French art magazine Connaissance des Arts for more than twenty years, he is the author of over 100 books on architecture and art.