Thomas Elliott: Directions

“Beauty is the quality or qualities that give pleasure to the senses or mind. These qualities are both tangible and intangible, creating a visual and perceptual experience that stirs an emotional response. This collection of work showcases beauty in architecture and design. We are on a continual exploration of how to make beautiful buildings, spaces, and objects, always developing our knowledge and experience of what is beautiful, as it is manifested and perceived in different ways.

While some architects work in one style, continuously refining and perfecting it, I love to explore different styles and to learn, discover, and evolve. I grew up in America and have travelled, lived, and studied around the world. Now in Indonesia for more than thirty years, I bring this broad understanding and perspective to our work, while always being inspired by and embracing Indonesian culture, tradition, and the sharing of ideas. It's this fusion and approach that sets my work apart.

The words you've encountered in Thomas Elliott: Directions are some of the ways in which we manifest beauty in our work. These words reflect both the physical and sensorial qualities in a design. Sometimes you see them, such as the materiality, palette, and light. Sometimes you feel them, such as anticipation and transitions. These qualities are all highly considered and carefully layered to create residential, commercial, and hospitality spaces that we characterise as “comfort luxury” and that have a positive emotional affect. They are spaces for people to feel at home; oases to enjoy after a long day. Crafting the spaces comes from thoughtful consideration of the journey through a house, and what people will see and feel as they transition from space to space – from public to private, from collective spaces to sanctuaries.” – Thomas Elliott (from the Afterword)

AUTHOR: Thomas Elliott and PAI have a longstanding reputation for producing excellent design across residential, hospitality, hotel, commercial, and master planning projects. While their work is primarily in Indonesia, they also design projects for clients in Singapore, China, and the United States. The firm's marketing and operational director Lanny Ridjab founded PAI in 1986, and architect and designer Thomas Elliott, director of design, joined in 1992. PAI's studio is where its team of sixty-five-plus architects and designers translate a client's brief and vision to create their dream home, hotel, or office. Like the firm's designers, their clients appreciate beautiful design; and the firm enjoys the satisfaction and sense of pride gained by helping make their clients' vision come true.

SELLING POINTS:

• Features an insightful deep-dive into the luxuriously designed interiors and architecture of PAI Design, a leading Southeast Asian practice.
• This lavishly illustrated monograph portrays full-colour images throughout of exquisite residences, hotels, and commercial projects.
• The firm's design director, Thomas Elliott, provides the reader with an intimate look into the unique, original, and striking designs of PAI Design's studio practice.
• 130 colour illustrations.