The publication of the third volume in this series of monographs has marked a watershed in Renzo Piano's (b.1937) career. This celebrates poignantly the completion of Piano's most monumental and extraordinary work, Kansai Airport in Japan, in a dynamic retrospective of his oeuvre to date.
An introductory essay, 'From Pompidou to Kansai', reviews the full scope of his work. In 1995 the Building Workshop completed Kansai Airport, Piano's largest project to date. The last section of the book is dedicated exclusively to Kansai, meticulously documenting its initial design through to its construction, including a 'walk-through' that enables the reader to experience Piano's work in a direct way, from blueprint to building.
A multitude of ongoing and completed projects are covered, such as the Lingotto Factory renovation in Turin, the Cité Internationale in Lyons, the Cy Twombly Pavilion in Houston, Texas, the Rome Auditoria, the Saitama Arena in Japan, and L'Ile Seguin and Le Grand Stade in Paris. These are described and illustrated with photographs and drawings that chart their development through design and construction stages to completion.
Altogether, this volume highlights the magnitude of Piano's momentous career and boundless potential, as revealed not only out of each individual work, but also through the whole range of his oeuvre so far.