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Collection by Miyoko Ohtake

Q&A with Adam Kalkin

In the In the Modern World section of our June 2009 issue, I reviewed artist-architect Adam Kalkin’s new monograph, Quik Build: Adam Kalkin's ABC of Container Architecture. The book is a compilation of built and unbuilt projects, all based on using shipping containers as the fundamental building block, with essays by Barry Bergdoll, Will McLean, and Alastair Gordon. I recently spoke with Kalkin about Quik Build, architecture as a perfomative art, and the longevity of building with containers.

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Adriance House by Adam Kalkin. Photo from Quik Build: Adam Kalkin's ABC of Container Architecture. Courtesy of Adam Kalkin.
Adriance House by Adam Kalkin. Photo from Quik Build: Adam Kalkin's ABC of Container Architecture. Courtesy of Adam Kalkin.
Sections of the Adriance House by Adam Kalkin. Photo from Quik Build: Adam Kalkin's ABC of Container Architecture. Courtesy of Adam Kalkin.
Sections of the Adriance House by Adam Kalkin. Photo from Quik Build: Adam Kalkin's ABC of Container Architecture. Courtesy of Adam Kalkin.
Adriance House by Adam Kalkin. Photo from Quik Build: Adam Kalkin's ABC of Container Architecture. Courtesy of Adam Kalkin.
Adriance House by Adam Kalkin. Photo from Quik Build: Adam Kalkin's ABC of Container Architecture. Courtesy of Adam Kalkin.
Sketches of the Boite en Valise by Adam Kalkin. Page from Quik Build: Adam Kalkin's ABC of Container Architecture. Courtesy of Adam Kalkin.
Sketches of the Boite en Valise by Adam Kalkin. Page from Quik Build: Adam Kalkin's ABC of Container Architecture. Courtesy of Adam Kalkin.
Boite en Valise by Adam Kalkin. Page from Quik Build: Adam Kalkin's ABC of Container Architecture. Courtesy of Adam Kalkin.
Boite en Valise by Adam Kalkin. Page from Quik Build: Adam Kalkin's ABC of Container Architecture. Courtesy of Adam Kalkin.
Push Button House 1 by Adam Kalkin. Page from Quik Build: Adam Kalkin's ABC of Container Architecture. Courtesy of Adam Kalkin.
Push Button House 1 by Adam Kalkin. Page from Quik Build: Adam Kalkin's ABC of Container Architecture. Courtesy of Adam Kalkin.
Images of the Push Button House 1 by Adam Kalkin. Page from Quik Build: Adam Kalkin's ABC of Container Architecture. Courtesy of Adam Kalkin.
Images of the Push Button House 1 by Adam Kalkin. Page from Quik Build: Adam Kalkin's ABC of Container Architecture. Courtesy of Adam Kalkin.
Images of the Push Button House 1 by Adam Kalkin. Page from Quik Build: Adam Kalkin's ABC of Container Architecture. Courtesy of Adam Kalkin.
Images of the Push Button House 1 by Adam Kalkin. Page from Quik Build: Adam Kalkin's ABC of Container Architecture. Courtesy of Adam Kalkin.
Close up of the Illy coffee Push Button House 1 by Adam Kalkin. Photo from Quik Build: Adam Kalkin's ABC of Container Architecture. Courtesy of Adam Kalkin.
Close up of the Illy coffee Push Button House 1 by Adam Kalkin. Photo from Quik Build: Adam Kalkin's ABC of Container Architecture. Courtesy of Adam Kalkin.
The Illy coffee Push Button House 1 by Adam Kalkin in action. Page from Quik Build: Adam Kalkin's ABC of Container Architecture. Courtesy of Adam Kalkin.
The Illy coffee Push Button House 1 by Adam Kalkin in action. Page from Quik Build: Adam Kalkin's ABC of Container Architecture. Courtesy of Adam Kalkin.