Seattle-based architect Jim Olson blends straight, clean architectural
lines and curving natural scenery with such ease that one forgets they
weren't always in harmony. Over the course of a career spanning nearly
fifty years, in collaboration with his partner Tom Kundig, Olson has
established a reputation for thoughtfully considered buildings, evident
in projects that suit and enhance their locations in Mexico, Southeast
Asia, and the Pacific Northwest.
This up-to-date survey of Olson's work, focusing chiefly on his
buildings for art-collecting private clients and large-scale resorts,
offers a stunning look--by way of plans, sketches, and photographs--at
the career of a great American architect. The accompanying text includes
an introduction by architecture critic Aaron Betsky as well as Olson's
own reflections on the medium.