architecture artbook

This book is Michele Saee's life's work. A collection of projects, built, unbuilt, conceptual, and experimental which expands over more than three decades. There are over 50 projects in different cities and countries, and continents, all with different programs, scales, and sizes on sites varying from the hillsides of Tempio, Sardinia in Italy to the Champs Elysees, Paris in France to the ocean front of the Pacific in California, USA to an apartment condo in newly developed tower in Beijing, and a new aquarium in Shanghai, China. This book is about an architect’s journey of discovery—a fluid emotional exercise in life, love, work, and architecture. The projects are presented based on their individual original design and their development. There are hand and computer sketch, drawings, and model studies of different stages of their development. The book covers everything from conception of the projects in their early stages through the process of their creation. The book clearly shows Michele’s way of working and his personal exploration in establishing his architectural philosophy and language.

Michele is an Iranian born American architect living in Los Angeles. He received his Master of Art in Architecture from the University Of Florence School Of Architecture in 1981 and started his own design firm Saee Studio in Los Angeles in 1985. He is the recipient of many awards. He exhibits lectures and teaches internationally. His exhibits includes the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) 2013, Venice Architectural Biennale in Italy, 2002 and 2004, Beijing Biennale 2004, and Busan Biennale Korea 2002. The Museum of Modern Art in San Francisco (SFMOMA) and Fonds Regional d’art Contemporain (FRAC) collection in France both contain Michele Saee’s work in their permanent collections.

I have been fortunate to be surrounded with amazing talent. The book is designed by the creative designer Xingyu Wei (Weestar) with contributions from designer Anisa Aboutalebpour. The introduction is written by the iconic French architect Claude Parent. In addition, there are three essays; one by American architects Eric Owen Moss, one by Nick Gillock and one by Italian historian and critic Luigi Prestinenza Puglisi. The book was edited by Nick Gillock, writer, poet Alisina Saee Nazari, and architect, writer, editor Julie Sinclair Eakin.