Spirit of Place

Richly illustrated and beautifully designed, Spirit of Place: Inspiration and Process is a great introduction to the thinking and philosophy of Oppenheim Architecture, an award-winning architecture, planning, and interior design firm. The book delves into how the firm arrives at its designs, taking you on a journey from research to explorations, to the spark and ultimate resolution. The book presents seven of the firm's projects, both realized and unrealized, through descriptive text, drawings, plans, renderings and photographs. While Spirit of Place is experiential and inspirational, the companion book breaks each project down analytically observing its creating from concept to completion. Oppenheim's commitment to creating environmentally conscious architecture that seeks inspiration from a project's surroundings is brought to light through a contextually diverse range of the firm's most globally recognized projects, including director Michael Bay's L.A. Villa, a spectacular private residence in California that immerses itself into the Bel Air hillside and accentuates the unprecedented views of the Los Angeles skyline and the surrounding terrain; Wadi Rum Desert Resort, an eco-resort carved into the desert stone of Jordan and inspired by the ancient civilizations that once inhabited the land; and House on a Dune, a modest and timeless private island getaway, perched on the edge of Harbour Island, whose elemental form and sincere materiality are intended to usher a transition from the Bahamas' lush tropical landscape to wide languorous ocean; to name a few.