Katsura Villa

With its cool functionalism, the Katsura palaceonce a pleasure dome for 17th century Japanese imperial princesbecame a beacon for modernist architects, who found in its Mondrian-like patterns of beams support for their theories. Yet the authors, themselves prominent architects, maintain that this villa complex can be understood only on its own terms. The feeling of limitless, transparent space, the play of light that softens as it flows through inner rooms and reflects off sliding screens, ebony and rosewood, are captured in Ishimoto's full-page color photographs. Text and pictures explore the flying-geese formation of the main buildings, subtleties of teahouses and stepping stones, a moonlit garden. Isozaki and Sato trace the mix of design styles that evolved as successive generations of builders and craftsmen left their mark on the villa. A beautiful book. (July 6)