Kuma. Complete Works 1988–Today

by Philip Jodidio (TASCHEN)

Kengo Kuma’s unique approach to architecture is a source of endless fascination and inspiration. A preface by the architect opens this latest monograph, discussing his early life and some of the key developments in his thinking, followed by an extensive introduction by Philip Jodidio covering Kuma’s life and the driving forces behind his work.

The 41 projects profiled in this book cover milestones and ongoing works around the world, including new builds and adaptive reuse. Each treatment comes with insightful texts, but the imagery is the undoubted star and the distinguishing feature; indeed, the publisher’s much-loved XXL size makes for a veritable feast of 500 photographs and diagrams that display Kuma’s topographical approach and his attention to material. Photographs taken at different times of the day show the environmental and temporal elements inherent in Kuma’s work, while different paper stocks have been used to highlight textural elements and the architect’s abstract inspirations. But while immensely pleasing to behold, Kuma’s approach is by no means purely aesthetic. ‘I think that we are at a turning point in the history of humanity,’ he writes in the preface. ‘Now is the time to take a step forward on a different path.’