In this essential TASCHEN introduction to
Tadao Ando we explore the
hybrid of tradition, modernism, and function that allows his buildings to enchant architects, designers, fashion designers, and beyond. Through key projects including private homes, churches, museums, apartment complexes, and cultural spaces, we explore a uniquely monumental yet comforting aesthetic that draws as much on the calm restraint of
Japanese tradition as the
compelling modernist vocabularies of
Bauhaus and Le Corbusier.
With featured projects in Japan, France, Italy, Spain, and the United States, we see not only Ando’s global reach but also his
refined sensitivity for the environs: the play of light through windows, and, in particular, the interaction of buildings with water. From the mesmerizing Church of the Light in Osaka to the luminous Punta della Dogana Contemporary Art Center in Venice, this is a radiant tour through a distinctly contemporary form as much as a timeless appeal of light, elements, and equilibrium.