Thomas K. Keller, an architect from Eastern Switzerland, has produced an extensive monograph that is greatly influenced by the visual vocabulary of the commissioned photographer. Sporadic plans and short essays are greatly outnumbered by hundreds of photographs, laid out in highly regular fashion in four sizes and grid arrangements. Many of the images form series or are repetitive, making use of cinematic techniques such as camera movement, fast and slow motion, and zooming in and out to provide a highly accessible exploration of the spaces in buildings and neighbourhoods and of structural details. The highly controlled design is well thought through at all times, which includes harmoniously incorporating the texts (written in a small serif font) and plans (very finely drawn) between the image pages. The relatively slender format of the book and the tall columns of text offer variations on the different architectural spaces, without the references ever becoming too heavy-handed. Despite all the rigour and rigidity, there is no lack of beauty.
(Text: BAK / The Most Beautiful Swiss Books, 2024)
Thomas K. Keller – Die Rationalität des Baumeisterlichen
Series of 600 images,
22.8 × 34.2 cm, 288 pages
In collaboration with: Samuel Bänziger,
Michel Egger, Larissa Kasper
Published by Park Books, Zürich
ISBN 978-3-909928-80-4