Book excerpt: Over the past thirty-five years, Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects, based in Seattle, has created a body of architecture that is recognized for its ability to merge notions of materiality, craft, and lightness, all of which are richly demonstrated in their work on art collectors' residences and art museums. The firm began its creative existence with architect Jim Olson, whose work in the late 1960s explored the complex relationship between dwellings and the landscape they inhabit. In the early 1970s the growing firm broadened its emphasis to include urbanism and the landscape of the city. Though firmly rooted in the regional features of the Pacific Northwest -- its unique climate and dramatic landscape -- the firm's work extends beyond any regionalist classification. Instead, the projects are characterized by a relaxed modernism that is attuned to its regional context. Each of the projects featured in this volume exhibits a striking use of both natural and highly refined materials, masterful modulation of light, a careful balance between monumentality and intimacy, and frequent collaborations with artists and craftsmen, especially glass artists such as Ed Carpenter. In addition to generous illustrations, including full-color and black-and-white photography and detailed drawings and plans, Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects: Architecture, Art, and Craft features a statement from the firm's partners, explicating their influence and process, and an essay by noted architectural critic Paul Goldberger.