In Praise of Shadows Architecture: A Line of Thought

【Book Description】

This volume is the first monograph dedicated to the Swedish architectural practice In Praise of Shadows Architecture, offering a systematic presentation of the firm’s work from its founding in 2009 through 2024. The book features approximately forty projects of diverse scales and functions, ranging from finely crafted boathouses and garden pavilions to single-family homes and large residential developments, as well as commercial interiors, educational buildings, and public libraries. Through these case studies, readers can clearly discern the firm’s design methodology, which tightly integrates material expression, construction logic, and spatial narrative.

In Praise of Shadows Architecture is distinguished by its sensitivity to material qualities and spatial experience, with a particular expertise in timber construction that reflects the firm’s sustained commitment to sustainable design. Their work engages with the intellectual legacy of Swedish modernism while also drawing inspiration from the architectural culture of Switzerland’s Grisons region, emphasizing harmony between built form and natural context. Through refined photography, detailed drawings, and critical essays, this monograph offers an in-depth look at the firm’s design language and conceptual foundations. It serves as an essential reference for those studying contemporary Nordic architecture and emerging trends in sustainable design.


【Details】

Editors: Xiangning Li, Wilfried Wang
Publisher: Park Books
Publication Year: 2025
Size: 27 × 20 cm
Binding: Paperback
Pages: 192