In 1966, the American architect Van Joly published Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture A book called A Gentle Manifesto has had a profound impact on the entire architectural circle and has been called one of the most important architectural publications of the 20th century. 2016 — 50 years later, three young architects Kersten Geers, Jelena Pančevac and Andrea Zanderigo have organized and assembled 28 buildings designed by Van Joly and his architectural firm partners In fact, Complex Whole attempts to open a dialogue with this legendary architectural text through a re-reading of these architectural spaces, providing a unique contemporary perspective on the process of its practice.
The title of “Complex Whole” comes from Chapter 10 of the book “The Necessity of Toward a Complex Whole” (The Obligation Toward the Difficult Whole), expand the series of Van Joly's work through vivid and clear floor plans, section drawings, and photographs, to read the context of his work in the most direct architectural way. The text emphasizes the form of a building that derives from the complex totality of the various problems and difficulties it encounters, rather than the purity and coherence that is sought after eliminating or solving these problems.
The book's three “authors” are also young architectural creators, researchers, and educators. Among them, Kersten Geers is the founder of the important Belgian architectural firm OFFICE Kersten Geers David Van Severen (Office KGDVS), a professor at the Harvard University School of Design and a lecturer at the Mendrisio School of Architecture in Switzerland. Their creative research across history and space has made an important impact on contemporary architectural design.
The Complex Whole is also a visually very good book. It may even be one of the most beautiful books about Van Joly's work. The entire book contains articles written by three architects, an introduction to Van Joly's architectural work, unique image records presented through the lens of renowned architectural photographer Bas Princen, and architectural images redrawn in a variety of ways by students participating in the research program. Lee's architectural theory parallels his decades of design practice. In particular, the articles included in the book, 19 Observations on Van Joli's Buildings, attempt to understand the architecture of Van Joli in a key way, through many local aspects, and extend the focus to Kazunari Sakamoto in Japan and Álvaro Siza in Portugal. Architects influenced by him, including The Complex Whole, which went out of print in 2016, also show Van Joli's enduring influence across regions and cultures.
