FutureDesignDays

2002
FutureLab 2002 www.futuredesigndays.com
SPEAKER
JOHN PAWSON
ARCHITECT, LONDON
The father of minimalism! Architect John Pawson has been constantly
true to his architectural vision during a remarkably successful career.
One of the worlds most famed architects, John Pawson has crossed
the boundaries between commercial and residential projects with his
ideals intact.
THE INVENTOR OF MINIMALISM
John Pawson was born in 1949 in Halifax, Yorkshire. After working in the family
textile business and a period teaching English in Japan, he studied at the
Architectural Association before opening his own studio. He is married, has
got two children and lives in London in a house that he designed for himself.
More than any architect he has been identified with the search for simplicity
that has been characterised as Minimalism. His designs explore fundamen-
tals (space, light and materials) and avoid stylistic mannerisms.
His architectural career to date has spanned a wide variety of projects,
ranging in scale from a compact apartment for the writer Bruce Chatwin, to
Calvin Kleins flagship store in Manhattan, airport lounges for Cathay Pacific
in Hong Kong and a number of art galleries. His current work includes
commissions to design a number of private houses around the world, a new
Cistercian monastery in the Czech Republic, a new Paris store and private
Manhattan apartment for Calvin Klein and an extensive house in Bel Air.
John Pawsons distinctive approach to modern architecture has attracted
international attention. He has built in Spain, Japan, the Czech Republic,
France, Germany, Korea and America, as well as in Britain. In addition to
his architectural projects, his work includes the design of a collection of
domestic objects for the Belgian company, WOW, the Pawson kitchen
manufactured by Obumex and a range of furniture for Driade in Italy.
John Pawsons designs have been extensively featured in publications
around the world. His best-selling book Minimum (Phaidon Press) explored
the historical context of his approach to architecture. John Pawson Works
(Phaidon Press) provides a record of ten of his more recent projects, inclu-
ding his work for Calvin Klein and Martha Stewart. Living & Eating (Ebury
Press), co-written with the food writer Annie Bell, explores how the
philosophy of simplicity may be applied in the kitchen.
In 2002 a major exhibition of John Pawsons work opened at IVAM in
Valencia. He was also responsible for the design of this years Venice
Architecture Biennale.
van Royen Apartment, London 1986
Photo: Ian Dobbie
Cathay Pacific Lounges, Hong Kong 1998
Photo: Nacasa and Partners
Bowl, When Objects Work 2002
Photo: Richard Davies
John Pawson, London 2002
Photo: Christoph Kicherervan
READ MORE
www.johnpawson.co.uk
www.whenobjectswork.com
www.ggili.com
www.obumex.be
www.booth-clibborn.com
www.phaidon.com
www.randomhouse.co.uk
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Minimum, Phaidon Press, 1996
John Pawson, Editorial Gustavo Gili, 1998
John Pawson Works, Phaidon Press, 2000
Living and Eating, Ebury Press, 2001