Paul Couch has long been an elusive figure in Australian architecture. For over six decades he has busied himself creating substantial works, rarely stopping to document his achievements, nor to speak of them in public. As a result, his built works have gone
largely unrecognised. Paul Couch, Field Studies seeks to redress this, introducing readers, for the first time in print, to one of Australia’s most significant and enduring architects.

The book focuses on four major residential projects spanning the breadth of Couch’s career, from his own family home in 1975, to the Kew House completed in 2019. Each of the four projects is represented by Couch’s original hand drawings, a written essay and a photo essay. In addition, accompanying extracts from a series of interviews introduce the reader to Couch’s voice, distilling the ideas, images, memories and dreams that animate his aspirations for architecture.

Paul Couch, Field Studies includes a foreword by esteemed author and architectural historian Philip Goad, an essay by international architectural theorist Juhani Pallasmaa, a photo essay exploring the influence of local rock formations on Couch’s architecture, and a brief meditation on concrete by the architect himself. All of this is brought together in an exquisitely presented hardcover book, designed by multi-award winning book designer, Stuart Geddes.