Tom Kundig : The Wonder Retreats

Writer's Note

I am a student of Architecture, and I would always will be. When a person says that they are an Architect, it is merely a way to define the profession, and when they stop learning (Architecture or otherwise) their profession is rendered uninteresting and in the words of a Scotsman, "Beige". Here are my thoughts on one of the most inspiring architects that I have had the pleasure of researching and writing about as part of a class in school. There are pictures that would make this read more interesting, so please take the time to pull up some of his projects on google if you fancy the essay.

“Mountaineering and architecture have many parallels,

they're about solving the problem in as clear and economic means as possible,

it's not about getting to the top”.

-Tom Kundig

Tom Kundig, a Seattle based architect, is a partner at Olson Kundig Architects. His buildings are a blend of modernist architecture, reminiscent of Miesian simplicity, and industrial architecture, reflecting the raw aesthetics of industrial revolution architecture of Gustave Eiffel. The use of structural steel, concrete and glass with wood accents give his buildings a robust and masculine presence whilst the exposed finishes reinforces the connection with nature and surrounding.

Kundig, although a principal at a multidisciplinary architectural firm, is best known for his work in domestic architecture. I say domestic architecture because his focus isn’t primarily on residential buildings but on dwellings small and big. Some of his more prominent works are located in the beautiful landscape of the Pacific Northwest where he has lived and practised for most of his life. A Kundig design isn’t a dominant form in the vast natural landscape that surrounds it, but a subordinate manmade counterpart. Although a lot of is work is self-indulgent on the clients part, his work has always embodied the philosophy of less is more and efficiency of material and spaces is an important aspect of his designs.

Tom Kundig was born on in October 9th, 1954 in Merced, California and raised in Spokane Washington. In his early years, growing up in one of the most diverse and beautiful landscapes in coastal and middle Washington he spent a lot of time outside and was strongly drawn to his surroundings. He says, “I experienced being relatively humble in the landscape” about his childhood and this sentiment is reflected in a lot of his design. His inspiration was nature from a very young age informing him of materials aging and their interactions. As an extension to his obsession with landscape, comes his love for mountain climbing. He credits his mountaineering experiences to teach him the most about architecture “Mountaineering and architecture have many parallels—they're about solving the problem in as clear and economic means as possible—it's not about getting to the top”. His interaction with nature has informed him of human proportion an his ability to design these appropriate buildings for a specific landscape.

Kundig’s father was an Architect and leaving home he didn’t want to become an architect and this made him venture out into hard sciences. This is where he grew his roots that would shape his career. He was inspired by mechanics. The simple mechanics mesmerized him and and the thought of an occupants being able to transform a building or a part of a building fascinated him. As he was developing as a professional, he worked with artists and sculptors in the 1970’s. His work with sculptors taught him to use the nature of the materials to inform his design and looking at his work you can feel the materials even in the pictures. Juhani Pallasmaa expresses in his essay “The Reality of the Image: The Microcosms of Tom Kundig” that even though he hasn’t experienced any one of Kundig’s buildings, he can imagine every space, sense the materials and the smell the landscape around because his architecture is so expressive just like a structure.

Majority of Kundig’s buildings can seem self indulgent on the clients part at least but in reality they are a very simplistic expression of materials within the landscape with a singular “wow moment” as he calls it. What makes his buildings precious is the craftsmanship and the attention to detail where materials interact or a moving part of the building. Kundig practices architecture not as an elitist but as a craftsman and that forms the foundation of his work. The use of recycled materials, careful orientation and design of buildings, their modest size and use of flexible spaces make his architecture conscious, passive and sustainable.

Kundig believes that the dwelling is the most basic type of architecture there is and to do it well is one of the hardest things and that a dwelling should be an extension of its occupant. This idea can be seen in some of his smallest dwellings. Juhani Pallasmaa put it quite appropriately:

The sense of existential foothold and home is condensed in Kundig;s smallest projects. The Gulf Island Cabin, False Bay writer’s Cabin and Chat - O - Spapho compress the notion of home into a single space. Yet the movement patterns, views, and sliding or pivoting elements of the cabins enrich and enlarge the space of the Existenzminimum. Limitations turn into luxury.

The three projects we will be exploring are The River Cabin in Skykomish, Washington, Gulf Island Cabin in the Gulf Islands, British Columbia and False Bay Writer’s Cabin in San Juan Island, Washington. All three of these projects are retreats with comforts of a modern dwelling. These dwellings explore the extension of the living space into their surroundings but they aren’t the average cabin. These dwellings are not the typical wood frame boxes, They all share Kundig’s design vocabulary but they have their own personalities that they sure with the clients. His eye for detail and craftsmanship give them an air of luxury and sophistication that small dwellings typically lack.

The most ingenious design out of three dwellings is The False Bay Writer’s Cabin. This five hundred square foot cabin double’s as a writer’s retreat and a guest cottage. Located on a remote part of the site along a creek and intended for seasonal use, the clients wanted a structure that could be secured yet also provide views to the vast open site. Kundig’s response to the clients wishes was to design essentially a glass and steel box surrounded by three wooden slat decks that can be raised using a hydraulic counterweight mechanisms to enclose the dwelling when not in use. This is the “wow” factor of this project. In plan the living areas are a single open space surrounded by glass walls divided by a central access that leads into the a solid box clad in recycled metal that houses the bathroom with access into the cabin on either side of it for when the slat decks are raised. A free standing fireplace is located along the central axis acting as a thermal mass and can be rotated to face inside and out. An inverted roof with deep overhangs directs the water to the rare of the cabin. Kundig calls it a “shelter of extremes”.

The structure is raised off the ground and it seems to float over the vast meadow where it sits next to the creek. The idea of a transforming structure to feel safe or be warm or have privacy yet having the ability to maintain a connection to the outdoors whilst having all the basic amenities and potentially be a stand alone dwelling is quite compelling and an attractive alternative to the conventional cabin with solid walls and small windows.

The River Cabin in Skykomish, Washington is located in a dense temperate rainforest along a bend of the The River. The core of the cabin is rendered in Cast in lace concrete that houses the fireplace which forms the anchor of the cabin and serves as the heat sink. The exterior skin of the cabin is a wood and glass that touches the ground as if the structure is naturally extruded from the ground. The custom pivoting panels on the along the exterior open up to expose the corners of the building and form a seamless transition of the indoor space to the exterior. The large overhangs of the wood roof over the living area protect the dwelling from the regular rain showers in the region. The big idea of this dwelling is living outdoors and not indoors. The sleeping areas are tucked in the core of the dwelling next to the fireplace for thermal comfort. The wood used to for construction of rafters, flooring, window frames and doors have been reclaimed form an old warehouse that was to be demolished. The use of wood around the exterior eventually makes the building disappear into the forest. he outdoor space to the west of the dwelling is articulated using cast inlace concrete which really grounds the light appearing glass structure.

In comparison to the Writer’s cabin this dwelling demands a more extroverted living environment where all the living areas are located along the periphery of the dwelling and all the private spaces are located along the core. As Kundig describes it, “Here, you are exposed to the wilderness where you are, to the wideness of this place.”

The Gulf Islands Cabin is probably the simplest and the most primitive dwelling of the three buildings. Set on a small island off the coast of Vancouver Island, this dwelling is a single room dwelling. The Simple design that forces one to be outside, in nature, as was the intension of the architect. This two hundred square foot structure fits within the footprint of the previously existing structure on site hence not disturbing any other part of the ecologically rich site. The structure is a steel box that is pushed against a newly constructed rammed earth wall that acts as a thermal mass for the dwelling. The mild steel box has one large opening to the south which is glazed with highly insulated glass and a large steel panel slides across the glazed facade to secure the dwelling when the occupants are away. Furthermore the steel panel slides past the glazing to act as a screen for the outdoor shower. All the interior finishes are wood to warm up the space and are primarily cedar used from fallen trees on site. A small wood burning stove located along the rammed earth wall is the only heat source for the dwelling.

The simple form and an primitive design is so elegantly executed in this dwelling that it is on elf the most sophisticated pieces of architecture that I have ever experienced yet. This dwelling is the true sustainable dwelling and yet it has all the necessary luxuries that one can ask for in a modern home.

Looking at the tree buildings we can see the craft of architecture that has been lost over the years of industrialization and mass production of products. Kundig brings a playfulness to his architecture with the pivoting, sliding and folding elements that engage the occupant in with the building hanse enhancing their interaction with the building. This boutique form of small dwelling reflects the honest use of materials, the sophistication of detailing, flexible use of space and what is most important to the architect, a connection to its landscape.

Even thought Kundig’s designs might look precious, expensive to build or even unsustainable, the three dwelling that we have seen beg to differ. The use of recycled materials, a modest size, orientation to maximize views, dealing with passive design and using simple gizmos to resolve functional and environmental issues make his architecture relaxed and unpretentious. Kundig’s concrete is rough and the steel is warm and his materials invite touch. His vocabulary of mild steel rough, unfinished concrete and reclaimed wood are the poor mans materials, but the way they interact in his designs makes his architecture precious and his buildings modestly luxurious.