The beautifully simple design of architects Thomas Phifer and Partners’ first monograph (even lacking page numbers) almost rivals the buildings themselves. Rather than rely on text and sketches, high-res photographs and renderings show in vivid detail what makes the firm’s stunningly minimalist ideas and emphasis on eco-friendly construction so renowned.
Central to their design process is the use of technology to connect inhabitants to the building’s surroundings rather than creating a divide. Naturally-lit, floor-to-ceiling structures in glass and steel favored by Phifer and his design team make this connection—what they call “Modernism from a humanist standpoint”—most clearly.
But this connection to nature goes further than a picture window; natural elements inform eco-conscious solutions to lighting, heating and cooling, working with the seasons to deepen residents’ relationship to their environment.
The American-made monograph is available through Amazon.