Rick Joy: Desert Works

Rick Joy builds with remarkable sensitivity, precision, and grace. The allure of his architecture is often quietly and seductively hidden in the sensual qualities of one's experiences: the sounds, smells, tactile qualities, and moods of his work. Granite crunching underfoot, the gentle trickle of water, and the lacy shadow of a mesquite tree all stir the viewers' sensations. "The simplest things can evoke the deepest feelings," Joy says. "The silence in great music is often more profound than the sounds." The nine buildings shown in thins, the first monograph on Joy's work, express his interest in making places that are transcendent moments of space, light, and matter. In each of the projects the physical landscape, its specific environment, and its rich history are revealed and celebrated. While many of the projects here use sustainable materials like rammed earth, Joy's primary interest is in the quality of the spaces he makes. He shows us how efficient and environmentally sensitive architecture can emerge as a by-product from a quest for the timeless qualities that are always associated with great architecture. Presented in the form of lush photography, insightful narratives, and revealing descriptions of his highly collaborative process, this book will bring one to a closer understanding of one of the most interesting architects practicing today.