20 DIGS.NET | 8.7.2020
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P R O F I L E | O L S O N K U N D I G
PHOTOGRAPHS:
COURTESY
OF
PAUL
WARCHOL
"I've spent my career incorporating
art into my architecture," says Jim
Olson, principal and owner of Seattle-
based firm Olson Kundig. "I often
design for art collectors, and I try to let
the sensibility of their collection lead
me to an appropriate architectural
expression."
This approach guided the design
of this 13,000-square-foot oceanside
property—with an infinity pool
running along its central axis—that
belongs to a couple from California.
Having traveled in Asia for years, the
owners have collected many Burmese,
Khmer and Thai artifacts as well as
modern art pieces from the region. To
help Olson understand their taste and
vision for the Big Island home, the
W R I T T E N B Y K A R I N E M O N I É
Inspired by Art and Nature
On the Big Island of Hawaii, an art-filled house anchored by a river of
hardened lava connects to surrounding mountains and sea.
clients sent the architect a series of
images that inspired them, including
references to the work of Luis
Barragán, Frank Lloyd Wright and the
Jim Thompson House in Bangkok—
which is now a museum—among
others. Before starting the project,
Olson felt the need to travel to Hawaii
as well as to Bali, where traditional
palaces and temples would be the
starting point of his design.
Standing on a promontory
of exposed lava, the house has
broad overhangs, which protect
interior spaces from the strong
sun, and sliding window walls that
provide natural ventilation while
permanently connecting inside and
outside. "Architecture should fit into
