Inside Flap Copy
Architectural Monographs No 50 Tom Kovac The unique spatial plasticity that characterises the work of the Australian architect Tom Kovac represents an alternative, highly expressive response to contemporary Australia. Kovac seeks inspiration in modern art and sculpture — his greatest influences are Mark Rothko, Donald Judd, Richard Serra, Sir Anthony Caro and Barbara Hepworth. He is also inspired by Frederick Kiesler, who is well known for his work as a stage designer. Externally, the sculptural quality of Kovac’s architecture is frequently juxtaposed with the rigid frameworks which traditionally define Australian space. His work presses against the orthogonal constraints imposed by surveyors and planners on the Australian city — constraints that seem to mock the vast expanse of the continent and reflect the crabbed social models that are the heritage of the colonial period. Internally, Kovac’s work stretches established parameters from within. His projects often contain an internal envelope which pushes up the limits of the space by canting the walls inwards or outwards at the top. This reach for the fullest spatial effect is combined with a search for light, making Kovac’s interiors microcosms of a wider, freer world. This is the first monograph to focus on the work of Tom Kovac, and includes a selection of nineteen projects dating from 1990. Initial conceptual sketches are juxtaposed with construction drawings and photographs to illustrate the development of each work. The theoretical preoccupations and working methods of the architect are examined in a series of essays by eminent theorists, including Leon van Schaik and Aaron Betsky. The highly successful Architectural Monographs series focuses on individuals of international stature who have been influential in practice and in education. Each monograph is designed to reflect the style of the architect featured, providing an invaluable record of the work and an important source book for further study. Recent Monographs include: Santiago Calatrava No 46 Imre Makovecz No 47 Future Tents Limited No 48 Antoine Predock No 49
Tom Kovac FROM THE PUBLISHER
The unique spatial plasticity that characterises the work of the Australian architect Tom Kovac represents an alternative, highly expressive response to contemporary Australia. Kovac seeks inspiration in modern art and sculpture—his greatest influences are Mark Rothko, Donald Judd, Richard Serra, Sir Anthony Caro and Barbara Hepworth. He is also inspired by Frederick Kiesler, who is well known for his work as a stage designer. Externally, the sculptural quality of Kovac's architecture is frequently juxtaposed with the rigid frameworks which traditionally define Australian space. His work presses against the orthogonal constraints imposed by surveyors and planners on the Australian city—constraints that seem to mock the vast expanse of the continent and reflect the crabbed social models that are the heritage of the colonial period. Internally, Kovac's work stretches established parameters from within. His projects often contain an internal envelope which pushes up the limits of the space by canting the walls inwards or outwards at the top. This reach for the fullest spatial effect is combined with a search for light, making Kovac's interiors microcosms of a wider, freer world. This is the first monograph to focus on the work of Tom Kovac, and includes a selection of nineteen projects dating from 1990. Initial conceptual sketches are juxtaposed with construction drawings and photographs to illustrate the development of each work. The theoretical preoccupations and working methods of the architect are examined in a series of essays by eminent theorists, including Leon van Schaik and Aaron Betsky.
Art & Photography
Book Info
