Close-up

The definitive monograph on the work of Ruch & Partner Architects, whose restorations of and contemporary interventions in historic houses in the Engadine have gained much international recognition. In 2009, the book Historic Houses in the Engadin: Architectural Interventions by Hans-Jörg Ruch brought the name and work of this Swiss architect to international attention. His new book, in equally opulent design and again lavishly illustrated, now documents the entire range of his achievements over nearly twenty-five years. His oeuvre comprises private houses and multi-unit residential buildings, public buildings such as museums or libraries, as well as infrastructure designs. A special focus of the firm’s work are the rebuilding and restoration of existing and in particular of historic buildings. Close-up—Ruch & Partner Architects 1994–2018 features the firm’s key designs, realized buildings as well projects and proposals, including the restored historic houses in the Engadine with the careful and sensitive contemporary interventions that made its name. Each is presented with atmospheric photographs and selected plans that demonstrate the firm’s approach and concepts and with a concise text. A topical essay on Ruch’s architecture in context with his biography and the surrounding Swiss mountain landscape.