The Tools of a Visionary: How Tom Kundig's Favorite Objects Shape His Architectural World

8 hours ago7 min read

The objects a person chooses to live with offer an unvarnished portrait of their character. For Tom Kundig, the celebrated founder and principal of Olson Kundig, his curated collection of everyday artifacts is not merely a list of possessions; it is a tangible manifesto of the principles that define his monumental, yet deeply human, architectural work.Each item serves as a key to understanding the mind that designs structures which are at once rugged, intimate, and profoundly connected to their environment. Take his cowboy hat, for example.Far from a stylistic affectation, it is a functional tool and a philosophical statement. It reflects a hands-on engagement with the natural world, a preference for being immersed in the elements rather than insulated from them.This ethos resonates in his iconic projects, such as The Pierre, a residence carved directly into a rocky ledge, and the Chicken Point Cabin, where a massive, hand-operated window dissolves the boundary between interior sanctuary and external landscape. His Jeep Wrangler extends this philosophy of direct experience into the realm of movement.More than a vehicle, it is a mobile declaration of freedom—rugged, unapologetic, and engineered for visceral engagement. It mirrors the kinetic, machine-like quality of his architecture, where pulleys, wheels, and levers, like the 12-ton sliding door of the Delta Shelter, invite inhabitants to actively participate in the transformation of their space.In an era dominated by digital design, Kundig’s steadfast use of a simple pencil is equally revealing. It signifies a creative process that begins with the tactile—a direct, unmediated connection between hand and idea.This foundational approach yields structures that feel both primal and forward-looking, where the human touch is not concealed but celebrated on a grand scale. Perhaps the most telling object is a seal sculpture.Its presence points to an inspiration drawn not only from the monumental forms of geology but also from the fluid, organic shapes of the natural world. This sensitivity ensures that his work, for all its steel and concrete, never feels brutal or alien.Instead, it possesses a biomorphic warmth, a quality that makes his buildings feel like natural outgrowths of their sites rather than impositions upon them. To examine Tom Kundig's favorite things is to recognize that his life and work are a seamless whole.The values of authenticity, durability, and visceral experience that define his architectural masterpieces are the very same principles he embodies daily. From the hat on his head to the Jeep in his driveway, each object is a chapter in an ongoing narrative about living with intention, resilience, and a profound reverence for the raw beauty of the world.

#Tom Kundig

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#Olson Kundig

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