Skylab: The Nature of Buildings

A major overview of Skylab’s built works, from show-stopping residences to high-profile cultural projects, presented via a covetable book design that takes its inspiration from an album or LP

Skylab: The Nature of Buildings is the first monograph of the Portland, Oregon-based architecture and design studio. Founded by Jeff Kovel in 1999, Skylab has emerged as a leading creative force in the Pacific Northwest and North America. At the vanguard of innovative and sustainable design, the practice is known for a range of spectacular residences designed for leading creatives, as well as distinctive music venues, resorts, and other high-profile projects, including the N M Bodecker Foundation, Nike’s Serena Williams Building, and the Columbia Building. Presenting more than two decades of work, the story of Skylab is told by several influential contributors through reflective essays, interviews, conversations and anecdotes, as well as extensive project photography and illustrations that detail the firm’s design process.

A uniquely crafted object, the book’s design is based on the concept of a double vinyl album, with four 'sides' (A, B, C, D), ten projects 'tracks', inside front- and back-cover gatefolds, and nine project 'interlude' foldout posters in the book.

About the Author:

Established two decades ago in Portland, Oregon, Skylab are a band of makers – architects, designers, creators and entrepreneurs working together across a wide range of landscapes and locations. Jeff Kovel is the founder and design principle of Skylab Architecture Studio. He has been a leading creative force in the dramatic evolution of Portland over the last twenty years and his work can be found in wildly different contexts, spanning residential, commercial, civic, retail, prefab, museum exhibitions and music and sports venues. Benjamin Halpern is an Associate at Skylab.