#290 - TOM KUNDIG, Owner and Design Principal of Olson Kundig
SUMMARY
This week Tom Kundig, owner and design principal of Olson Kundig joins David and Marina of FAME Architecture & Design to discuss his childhood amongst artists and architects; mountain climbing, skiing and a near-death experience; his philosophy and positive outlook on life; the practice and his partnership with Jim Olson; architectural processes, tools and his experience with materiality; opening a New York Office; and more. Enjoy!
ABOUT TOM
Tom Kundig, FAIA, RIBA, is an owner and design principal of Olson Kundig. Kundig has received some of the world’s highest design honors, including a National Design Award in Architecture from the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum, an Academy Award in Architecture from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and an election to the National Academy as an Academician in Architecture. Kundig has also been awarded the AIA Seattle Medal of Honor as well as a Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Washington. Known for his contextual approach to design, Kundig emphasizes the primacy of the site. His buildings are a direct response to place, often serving as a backdrop to the built, cultural or natural landscapes that surround them. Tom’s current projects include homes across North America, Asia, Europe and New Zealand; adaptive reuse projects for a host of different functions; and hospitality projects in the United States, Austria, China, Costa Rica, Mexico, New Zealand, South Korea and more.
HIGHLIGHTS
TIMESTAMPS
(00:00) Tom’s childhood with artists and architects
(06:06) How the profession of architecture has evolved over the years
“I do think you should, as an architect, work outside your realm of architecture because an architect is a voyeur of culture… you’re a person who’s curious about life, you’re curious about what the situation is… and if you're too focused on the architecture group, it's almost like speaking the same language to the point where you forget that there are other languages. Architecture is about every language and that's why you want to go to all sorts of cultures, all sorts of professions, all sorts of clients.” (07:28)
(19:11) Transitioning back into architecture
(29:53) A near-death experience with an avalanche and Tom’s mentors.
(52:28) Partnering with Jim Olson
(57:09) Integrating mechanical elements and materiality in Olson Kundig’s projects
“I grew up in a hot rod culture, so I would see the machinery and the reinvention… who knew that that was going to be important to my career? If I’m in a place that's feeling stuck or whatever, I just think back. What would a hot rodder do with this commodity? What would you do to make this a special moment? And again, I was lucky to have grown up around it. It doesn't mean you have to have the same background, but everybody has a background that can be meaningful to their work… and it's soulful, frankly, because it really is part of your history. Only you experienced it. You can just bring that out and make it important to the architecture you're working on. That's when I thought I became an architect. It’s when that moment became authentic, became real to my core.” (01:03:32)
(01:12:56) Office growth and opening a second office in New York
(01:22:14) Office structure and project processes.
“In order for us to actually deliver terrific work, the owners actually have to be working harder than anybody else in the office and actually be involved in the projects, deeply involved in the projects… In order to work in this office, you worked on all phases of the project. So if you're there as an intern or a staff architect or a principal or an owner, you were there at the scribbly phase, you were there in the concept phase and all the way through the technical phases… (01:23:37)
(01:37:38) Designing at different scales and Tom’s Philosophy
“I was lucky because I had a moment where there was a project and that project was an important turning point in my career and I didn't screw it up for me personally. I took advantage of it. I had the tools at that time to take advantage of it… It’s a timing thing but most importantly, you have to be ready for it. Sometimes you hear, “Oh, you were lucky, you know?” Well, OK, but everybody's lucky and everybody has as a moment that they can turn into a career defining architecture.” (01:41:45)
