Tom Kundig’s ‘Delta Shelter’

Tom Kundig has always been one of my favorite local architects. I mean, what’s not to love; a melange of rural sensibilities, Modern aspirations and Postmodern mash-ups. And while I’ve never really understood the argument placing his practice within the Modern movement, C. Mudede makes an interesting case for it in this brief article from The Stranger. Hopefully we will get a fully fleshed-out argument in the future…

From The Stranger:

«The other modernism, the sort Kundig represents, retains the
minimalism of zero-degree architecture, but it does not banish the
processes of aging and physical change. In Kundig’s work, materials are
not only exposed to time but time itself becomes a material. It is for
this reason that his homes already have in them the majesty of their
movement through time. «Buildings outlive people, you have to design
with this in mind,» Kundig points out. Buildings, like people, are
not permanent; they have life spans, they are born, grow old, decline,
and crumble.»

To my thinking, Mudede doesn’t make a convincing case, but I’m up for more. Regardless, it’s always great to see Kundig’s work getting the attention it deserves. He’s a Northwest treasure.

Read the rest after the jump…