Architect Tadao Ando’s beautifully arranged and sculpted walls of smooth concrete manage to defy their inherent imposing quality and intertwine with nature. Ever changing patterns of light seep through apertures and bathe the volumes of his conceived buildings, creating a dichotomy as his works exhibit unexpected qualities despite the sameness in materials.
Equally unexpected is Taschen’s recent publication of their massive tome, Ando: Complete Works into a practical size at a much more palatable MSRP price of $40 versus the original $125. A surprise, as significantly overized Taschen books are generally not reprinted in smaller dimensions. To complement this thorough oeuvre, I recommend Richard Pare’s Tadao Ando: The Colours of Light. A mini hardcover volume from Phaidon, Richard Pare’s photography succeeds in capturing the essence of Ando’s architecture.
