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Tom Kundig, American architect of Olson Kundig fame, has recently been in Australia with stops at Melbourne Design Week, lunch with Glenn Murcutt and a visit to The Commons in Sydney for a STORIESINDESIGN conversation.

In the podcast interview, Kundig reflects on architecture as a practice shaped by context, material understanding, and a balance between rational problem-solving and poetic expression. Speaking while in Australia to promote his new book Complete Houses, he discusses his long career at Olson Kundig and outlines a philosophy that sees architecture not as an isolated discipline, but as one connected to landscape, craft, engineering and broader cultural life.

A recurring theme is the relationship between technology and architectural practice. Kundig describes architecture as being in the midst of an “evolution” rather than a revolution, arguing that tools such as AI and digital fabrication can be valuable when used thoughtfully, but warning that technology can also strip away nuance if it becomes an end in itself. Drawing on his own experience of moving from hand-drawing into digital practice, he reflects on what can be lost when architecture becomes over-mediated by software, particularly the tactile and poetic qualities that emerge through direct engagement with materials and making.

Kundig also speaks at length about context as the basis of design, whether in dense urban environments or remote landscapes. For him, architecture is fundamentally about creating shelter that responds to place, climate and culture rather than imposing itself as the centre of attention. He connects this to a broader fascination with large landscapes, frontier environments and cultures whose architecture is transmitted to us as a form of archaeology.

Throughout the conversation, Kundig returns to the importance of analogue thinking, materials and the relationship between hand, body and construction. He describes architecture as occupying a productive intersection between the rational and the poetic, with design beginning from practical constraints before moving toward expression. He also reflects on the role of clients, collaboration and curiosity in shaping projects, while discussing how Olson Kundig continues to evolve as a practice balancing intimate residential work with increasingly large and complex commissions.

LISTEN HERE!

Olson Kundig
olsonkundig.com

Portrait Photography
Kyle Johnson