Richard Fernau Hong Kong University Lecture + Interview

As you all know, Richard lectured at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) in April of this year. For those who were not able to make the long travel to Hong Kong, the University has graciously published the lecture online. 

Click on the image of the flyer below, and you will be redirected to the HKU website to watch Richard's lecture.

Another video posted from the University of Hong Kong is a short interview with Richard used for a MOOC (massive online open course), entitled Vernacular Architecture of Asia: Tradition, Modernity, and Cultural Sustainability. See below to watch Richard's interview: 

Review of "Improvisations on the Land" in AIA Small Projects publication!

Bookstore owner and author Peter Miller of Peter Miller Books in Seattle wrote a very nice review of Improvisations on the Land for the AIA Small Projects Practitioners Journal. Read the entire review below (click to enlarge):

Review of "Improvisations on the Land" in ARCADE Magazine!

The most recent review of our book, Improvisations on the Land: Houses of Fernau + Hartman, appears in ARCADE Magazine. Written by John Parman, a writer, editor, and West Coast adviser to the Architect's Newspaper, the review captures the essence of the firm's practice and history of improvisation and collaboration - from its inception to the office in present day. Parman describes the book as being "a tutorial on how to practice architecture as [Richard Fernau] and Laura Hartman see it, in which place and improvisation provide valid, potent bases for design."

Parman begins the article by referencing the iconic New Yorker cover from March of 1976 - "View of the World from 9th Avenue."

"Far from being provincial," Parman writes, "the tradition in which F+H is situated is wide-eyed about the world around it. To live in the Bay Area is to be immersed in a place that gathers up sense, encourages openness and flow, and discourages anything that seems too predetermined."

READ John Parman's review by clicking here

Richard Fernau Lecture @ The University of Hong Kong

Just last month, Richard gave a lecture on Improvisations on the Land: Houses of Fernau + Hartman at the University of Hong Kong's Department of Architecture. The lecture went incredibly well, and Richard was in good company; Pritzker Prize-winners Wang Shu and Toyo Ito, among many other fellow accomplished architects, were part of the same lecture series (see posters for the HKU Spring 2016 lecture series below).

If you haven't picked up your copy of Improvisations on the Land: Houses of Fernau + Hartman already, head to your local bookstore or click here to place your order!

Book Reception Update

Our reception and book signing for ‪#‎ImprovisationsOnTheLand‬ at William Stout Architectural Books last night was a huge success! Many thanks to our friends and family who showed up and supported; this book truly would not have been possible without you. If you still need a copy of the book, head on down to Stout Books or order yours today on Amazon.

Also, Fernau & Hartman is now on Twitter! If you are on Twitter, follow us for project updates, images around the office, and upcoming events: https://twitter.com/FernauHartman

Book Reception @ William Stout Architectural Books

If you're around the Bay Area today, we would love for you to join us for a reception and book signing at William Stout Architectural Books in San Francisco (804 Montgomery Street, map shown below flyer) from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. tonight! Bring a friend and come down to enjoy wine, cheese, and good literature with Fernau & Hartman. Please RSVP at rsvp@fernauhartman.com. See you there!

Fernau & Hartman Monograph is Finally Here!

More excitement today at Fernau and Hartman. A copy of our highly anticipated new book Improvisations of the Land has finally made it to the office, resulting in many jaw drops, smiles, and near-teary eyes. A lot of hard work, time, and design have been invested in the creation of these pages, and we all hope you will notice it for yourselves. 

If you would like a copy, please contact your local bookstore or visit Amazon to preorder.

More excitement ahead! Stay tuned...

Fernau & Hartman Monograph - Dust Jacket

The design for the dust jacket was carefully considered to achieve a balance of color, materials, and landscape with architecture. The “half jacket,” or “tube top” as we like to call it, features three of our favorite houses. A view from the deck of the Montana Cookhouse wraps the face and spine of the book. The front flap is a full bleed image of an outdoor room at the Santa Ynez house, and the back flap is a photo through the Mann House.

(Click Page to zoom.)

Fernau & Hartman Monograph - Cover

We are excited to share with you, the cover from the upcoming Fernau & Hartman monograph. David Blankenship, our book designer, approached the cover as both a tactile and visual experience. The title, Improvisations on the Land, is stamped into a taupe fabric case and then wrapped in a cardstock “half jacket” printed with one of our favorite photographs of the Montana Cookhouse. Dubbed the “tube top” here in the office, the “half jacket” is just that: a dust jacket that cloaks the book, leaving about one third of the case exposed. When the jacket is removed, a sketch of the Berggruen House is revealed.

Fernau & Hartman Book Work

For the past few months Fernau & Hartman have been working hard on preparing spreads for our book release. Stay tuned for more exciting updates.