Product Review

This intimate portrait of eight houses by the Maine architect Carol A. Wilson illustrates how "local" is an idea as close to architecture as it is to food. Focusing on climate, seasons, views, local materials, the ecological history of building sites, and collaborations with local artisans, Wilson crafts exquisitely designed and built houses that celebrate the beauty of New England and the power of architecture to combine modern forms with a traditional built landscape. Following introductory texts by Enrico Pinna and Juhani Pallasmaa, and a conversation between Wilson and John Leroux, each project opens with a foldout of plans€"transitioning from hand-drawn to computer-aided€"and information about the house, before culminating in brilliant exterior, interior, and detail photographs. The book closes with an interview in twenty questions that elaborates on Wilson's working principles and the history of her studio for the past thirty years.