Olson Kundig is an architectural firm featuring the name of two notable principal architects Tom Kundig and Jim Olson. Mr. Tom Kundig emphasized that his partnership with Jim Olson developed more from friendship than professionalism, valuing Olson’s character over his architectural skills. The Olson Kundig firm is famous for its family homes with designs that honor the environment while making a bold statement achieved mainly through not having a significant style but a distinctive approach to design creating architecture based on environmental responsiveness.
The firm’s design approach is one of mediation, a reconciliation between the environment and architecture that is less about competition but more geared towards cheating architecture that belongs within that landscape whether rural or big city creating a legacy of great memories, great places, and great buildings for the people. Tom Kundig argues that residential projects may be much harder sometimes given that the investments in the project for the client are personal and deeply important creating an emphasis on the smaller and finer details meaning more is desired and expected from the architects. The Olson Kundig brand is built on creating a culture, a set of certain values, qualities, and lifestyle experiences displayed through their architectural projects that bring in an audience or potential clients that would like to associate themselves with such values and the brand behind them. This also carries on into the work environment where a work culture in the firm makes staff feel that they belong and bond with others.
Time’s Patina: When Buildings Ripen Into Beauty Like Fine Wine.
Creating buildings of character is the goal, as though they are almost alive. For most projects, using natural materials in their natural state while subject to aging tells the story of time and creates awareness that the natural forces are in control. The aging process of these natural materials creates a sense of authentic beauty that can’t be replicated by fabricated materials seen as making architecture age better with time but also engulfing the building more to its place. As for the case of the functionality of buildings, change is bound to occur over time but with most predictions being wrong all that can be done is create structures that embrace change by evolving naturally to suit new purposes avoiding costly demolitions and replacement. As quoted by one of Tom Kundig’s idols, Stewart Brand, saying, “All buildings are predictions. All predictions are wrong”, this quote influences the design work and conversation to a degree but also creates the understanding that architectural creations are prototypes subject to inevitable change.
Good Design Firm vs Good Project Delivery Firm
The venture into residential work established a base for Olson Kundig with a realization primarily credited to Jim Olson where in the earlier days the firm was good at mostly conceptual design and development but not good at delivery of the project which wasn’t a sustainable long-term strategy which ultimately prompted the switch to primarily residential work. This base freed up more time for the firm to perform and prioritize making good architecture. In the words of the CEO Hemanshu Parwani the firm is a design-led firm rather than a design-run firm where designers lead the design area of things and the business people handle the business end of things creating a framework where people only concentrate on their fields of expertise.
The Beauty of the Small Project Arena.
The small project arena is a blessing in disguise especially for young professionals joining. The Olson Kundig’s collaborative work environment allows young professionals to work with the more seasoned professionals creating a cycle of learning and practicing architecture that is quite quick in developing young talent. Just like the age-old tradition of craftsmen passing down their knowledge to apprentices, this model helps young professionals develop an intricate holistic understanding, a design master class with an appreciation of the financial side of fees and profits.
The realization that the architectural profession might have turned its back on residential work as not being significant leaves a lot to be desired yet it serves as a place for research and development at a faster rate. The insights and lessons gathered from the residential projects arena create opportunities for translation into institutional and commercial projects. Tom Kundig’s background in sculptural works gives him a unique insight into how to design for example favoring the simplicity of building forms over complex ones reduces the difficulty of fabrication and the wastage of materials. The Collaboration with gizmologist Phil Turner creates the opportunity to solve engineering problems in a simple but elegant way without using heavy-handed techniques.
The Olson Kundig buildings are a testament to the understanding that architecture can compromise and stand out simultaneously. They are places where simplicity, elegance, and beauty seem effortlessly created when combined in the architecture and engineering solutions developed. Simplicity is defined by coming up with the most innovative solution. The projects don’t stand out like sore thumbs but express themselves with character. They age better with time, transforming themselves outwardly while embracing changes in use over time. A brand whose insights and lessons are translated into other areas of the profession posing challenges but looked at as creative opportunities from which young professionals soak knowledge gaining a holistic perspective of the profession. Ultimately the Olson Kundig brand is one where projects display values and lifestyle experiences that draw people to but create a desire to associate themselves with the brand.
References:
The Second Studio (2022). #290 – Tom Kundig, Owner and Design Principal of Olson Kundig. [online] YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5brz2IDQHw [Accessed 9 Jan. 2025].
ArchDaily (2019). ArchDaily Interview: Tom Kundig at AIA’19. [online] YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0FNf8LNjdA [Accessed 9 Jan. 2025].
Business of Architecture (2020). 075: Running a Global Multi-generational Practice with Tom Kundig. [online] YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKBh7F3VQoU [Accessed 9 Jan. 2025].
CreativeMornings HQ (2013). Olson Kundig Architects: On the firm’s experimental work space: [storefront] Olson Kundig. [online] YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jkPI_GLdnU [Accessed 9 Jan. 2025].
Design vs. Build (2022). Architecture is for Humans by Tom Kundig | Design vs. Build. [online] YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aS6u_gtov6U [Accessed 9 Jan. 2025].
Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art WSU (2011). Jim Olson: The Creative Process. [online] YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UynJVPCFNlk [Accessed 9 Jan. 2025].
Monograph (2021). How To Blend The Art Of Business With Architecture (w/ Olson Kundig CEO Hemanshu Parwani ‘HP’). [online] YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhEkeOFcKuI [Accessed 9 Jan. 2025].
National Building Museum (2012). Spotlight on Design: Tom Kundig. [online] YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpYHAdm6tNU [Accessed 9 Jan. 2025].
Peak Conversations Podcast (2024). Peak Conversations: Tom Kundig | Episode 4. [online] YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLya18bBzAk [Accessed 9 Jan. 2025].
The Second Studio (2022). #290 – Tom Kundig, Owner and Design Principal of Olson Kundig. [online] YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5brz2IDQHw [Accessed 9 Jan. 2025].
