Review: “Jean-Francois Koenig, Architect” by Jean-Francois Koenig
Get lost in the pages of a good book—it’s the soul of any room.
Known for his uncompromising aesthetic and sincere desire to link environmental needs with a nuanced concept of public and private space, Mauritian architect Jean-Francois Koenig was only a student when he won third prize in the RIBA competition (judged by Norman Foster) in 1979. Years later, he is considered to be one of the 21st century’s leading architects, and this exciting new volume reveals why.
The lush, voluminous 320-page book is organised in two main sections that feature black-and-white and colour photos and drawings. The lengthy
introductory section with short yet thoughtful essays from authors including Koenig, David Thomas and Dr. Nnamdi Elleh, frames the volume; while its main section, with four chapters, houses the catalogue of his work.
While each project illustrates Koenig’s magical touch, stand-out projects include The Palace Hotel in the UAE, the Mauritius Commercial Bank, and the architect’s own Mauritius home and office. known as Le Ruisseau Rose.
A stunning volume that’s as much as a sensual escape as it is a journey through Koenig’s oeuvre, this is ideal for architects and travellers alike.
Jean-Francois Koenig, Architect
By Jean-Francois Koenig
teNeues
The Latest
Product Design – id50 2026
We honor these product designers as part of the id50.
The Debuts at the id50 2026
Here are the debuts of the id50 2026.
Visionaries of the id50 2026
Take a look at the visionaries from our id50 2026
Global Firms – id50 2026
Meet the global firms with local presence that form a part of this year's id50
The Gaggenau Minimalistic Series. Two lines, one circle: a statement.
Sleek and clean, the Minimalistic series applies restraint in its design.
Meet the id50 2026
This year, we celebrate the interior designers, architects and product designers from the region – from emerging talent to the visionaries and global firms with local presence. We uncover their latest projects and what drew them to the profession.
Read ‘The Power Issue’ – Note from the editor
Read identity magazine's July-August 2026 edition on ISSUU or grab your copy
Häcker UAE on the discipline of designing a kitchen that asks for nothing
The German kitchen studio discusses why restraint, not statement, is the harder thing to achieve and what that means for the architects and designers it works with.
id most wanted – June 2026
Where There is Uns by Joud Malhas and Rachel Antoun
100 Years and Counting
Bang & Olufsen was founded in a farmhouse in Struer, Denmark, where Peter Bang and Svend Olufsen were united by a singular belief: that technology should be as beautiful as it is functional
A Quiet Respite at Nobu Toronto
Inspired by a Japanese ryokan, Studio Munge completes Canada’s first Nobu hotel
Ebb and Flow
Set a stone’s throw away from Hyde Park, the Six Senses London has wellness at its heart