BOOK REVIEW: Allied Works Architecture/Brad Cloepfil: Occupation

Allied Works Architecture/Brad Cloepfil: Occupation
Text by Sandy Isenstadt, Kenneth Frampton
Photography by Victoria Sambunaris
Gregory Miller & Co. ($85)

Art and nature fuse in the work of Brad Cloepfil and his associates, and this lavish monograph explores the highlights of his practice in depth. As the title implies, his buildings are deeply rooted in their sites, which range from empty Western landscapes to the dense fabric of major cities. His museums enhance the art they display and are quiet works of art in themselves. The geometries are simple, the materials traditional, and you have to look very closely to catch the subtleties that give each space its special quality. Cloepfil is particularly skilled in adapting older structures, especially in his transformation of Edward Durrell Stone’s faux Venetian folly on Columbus Circle in mid Manhattan. Kenneth Frampton contributes an insightful essay, and each project is followed by a dialogue with an artist or critic. Lorraine Wild designed this book for a publisher who has as much respect for his craft as Allied Works have for theirs. Stock of a weight that is rarely encountered today, spacious layouts, and fine printing make this monograph a sensual and intellectual delight.