The opening section, “Life,” begins acclaimed photographer Iwan Baan’s documentary of SO-IL’s projects, which presents the theme of space as a series of experiential qualities. Subtle shifts in gloss and tone found across the photo-documentary sections highlight particular traits of the work. Capturing the approach to the projects from the street, to the interiors themselves, down to intimate moments—such as kids enjoying the ability to make the space their own and the ways our pets liven the mood—the images are punctuated with SO-IL partner Jing Liu’s perspective of home as our “innermost sanctum.” Her perspective sets the tone early in the discussion, as she reflects on how her own sense of home was erased and replaced by the current models we encounter day to day. What follows is a documentary-style exploration of SO-IL’s work, one that leaves no stones unturned in tracing influences and past attempts by others to bring meaning to personal space. As the depth of the inquiry unfolds alongside these pointed influences, the book resists a linear reading—and welcomingly so.
Source: Homeward Bound – Texas Architect Magazine