Phyllis Lambert: Observation Is a Constant

A tiny clothbound compendium of the overlooked and the incidental in architecture and daily life, from the legendary champion of modernist architecture.

Phyllis Lambert (born 1927), a renowned urbanist, began using a camera in 1954 to contemplate the potential of the Seagram building in New York. This sparked her curiosity in the quality of buildings, how they interacted with the environment, and how their details contributed to the whole. Throughout her career, she has studied and engaged with urban landscapes, which is evident in her collection of personal photographs taken over many years. Her photographs, taken during her daily routines, travels, and work, showcase her quest to comprehend and highlight details that might otherwise be unnoticed.