Pictures from Italy

Pictures from Italy is the initial volume in a new series of books edited by Swiss architects Emanuel Christ and Christoph Gantenbein in which they explore issues and topics arising from their architectural work. The pictures in this gorgeously illustrated book originate from a six week journey throughout Italy in 1999, which proved to be a trip with profound influence on both architects’ aesthetics and careers. Images from the Italian sojourn are combined with photographs of Christ & Gantenbein’s built projects, tracing the influence of the trip on their realized buildings in Switzerland and around the world. Pictures from Italy aims not only to specifically illustrate the link between Italian architecture and the editors’ own work, but also their general architectural philosophy.

An illuminating look at the nature of influence in architecture and an exciting start to this important new series, Pictures from Italy is both visually stunning and intellectually invigorating.