Ando

Modern Minimalism with a Japanese Touch

Discover the Unique Aesthetics of Tadao Ando

Philippe Starck describes him as "mystical in a land that is no longer mystical." Philip Drew calls his buildings "land art" that seems to grow out of the earth. He is the only architect to have won the four most important prizes in his field: the Pritzker, Carlsberg, Praemium Imperiale, and Kyoto Prize. His name is Tadao Ando, and he is one of the greatest living architects in the world. Ando merges Japanese traditions with modernism, creating a unique aesthetic that works with concrete, wood, water, light, space, and nature in extraordinary ways.

This book is a perfect introduction to his work, showcasing private homes, churches, museums, and cultural buildings in Japan, France, Italy, Spain, and the United States.

The Artist

Tadao Ando, born in 1941, is one of the world's most renowned contemporary architects. Initially a boxer, Ando decided to pursue architecture two years after leaving school. He remains the only person to have received the four most prestigious architecture awards: the Pritzker Prize, Carlsberg Prize, Praemium Imperiale, and Kyoto Prize. He lives and works in his hometown of Osaka.

The Author

Masao Furuyama studied architecture in Kyoto and completed his doctorate in urban planning in Tokyo. He has taught at the Kyoto Institute of Technology, where he has served as president since 2012, and has published several works on architecture and Tadao Ando.

The Editor

Peter Gössel runs an agency for museum and exhibition design. He has published monographs on Julius Shulman, R. M. Schindler, John Lautner, and Richard Neutra for TASCHEN, as well as several architecture titles in the Small Series.