
Asking, Looking, Playing, Making
A nature-focused design process
RIBA Publishing
1st Edition
Published on 1. April 2025
Book
Hardback
144 pages
978-1-915722-59-1 (ISBN)
Description
Design is a process that requires freedom and rigour, expansion and focus. But how can a place be transformed through a tangible, meaningful vision?
This insightful guide from leading architects Tonkin Liu offers an insider's view of a proven design framework for architectural design. It breaks down the design process into four essential stages: Asking, Looking, Playing and Making. As a naturefocused storytelling toolkit that questions, abstracts and amplifies a project's particularities, it reveals how a design process can generate buildings that are rooted in a sense of place. It focuses on human relationships with nature, drawing principles from nature as the basis for design.
Asking, Looking, Playing and Making is applied by Tonkin Liu to all their studio's projects, from design competitions to completed works. Case Studies of six built projects show how the framework works in practice, and includes the Singing Ringing Tree, Tower of Light and York Minster Heritage Quad.
This insightful guide from leading architects Tonkin Liu offers an insider's view of a proven design framework for architectural design. It breaks down the design process into four essential stages: Asking, Looking, Playing and Making. As a naturefocused storytelling toolkit that questions, abstracts and amplifies a project's particularities, it reveals how a design process can generate buildings that are rooted in a sense of place. It focuses on human relationships with nature, drawing principles from nature as the basis for design.
Asking, Looking, Playing and Making is applied by Tonkin Liu to all their studio's projects, from design competitions to completed works. Case Studies of six built projects show how the framework works in practice, and includes the Singing Ringing Tree, Tower of Light and York Minster Heritage Quad.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Professional Practice & Development
Product notice
Paper over boards
Dimensions
Height: 213 mm
Width: 212 mm
Thickness: 18 mm
Weight
640 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-915722-59-1 (9781915722591)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
04/2025
1st Edition
RIBA Publishing
€36.99
Available for download

E-Book
04/2025
1st Edition
RIBA Publishing
€36.99
Available for download
Persons
Mike Tonkin is an architect with 35 years of international experience, and founded Tonkin Liu with Anna Liu in 2002. He has lectured and been an international visiting critic, most recently in the role of External Examiner for MArch at the Bartlett and is currently a teaching fellow at Bath University.
Anna Liu is an architect with over 18 years of experience, encompassing practice and teaching in the UK, China, Japan, the US and Taiwan. She founded Tonkin Liu with Mike Tonkin in 2002 and leads the studio's public landscape and sculpture projects.
Anna Liu is an architect with over 18 years of experience, encompassing practice and teaching in the UK, China, Japan, the US and Taiwan. She founded Tonkin Liu with Mike Tonkin in 2002 and leads the studio's public landscape and sculpture projects.
Content
Overview
A nature-focused design process
Exploration and evaluation
ASKING
Exploration
Nature
People
Place
Evaluation
LOOKING
Exploration
Nature
People
Place
Evaluation
PLAYING * Exploration * Nature * People * Place * Evaluation
MAKING * Exploration * Nature * People * Place * Evaluation
CASE STUDIES
Singing Ringing Tree
Water Tower
Tower of Light
Three Waves
Swing Bridge
Heritage Quad
Louis Khan
Conclusion
A nature-focused design process
Exploration and evaluation
ASKING
Exploration
Nature
People
Place
Evaluation
LOOKING
Exploration
Nature
People
Place
Evaluation
PLAYING * Exploration * Nature * People * Place * Evaluation
MAKING * Exploration * Nature * People * Place * Evaluation
CASE STUDIES
Singing Ringing Tree
Water Tower
Tower of Light
Three Waves
Swing Bridge
Heritage Quad
Louis Khan
Conclusion