This month’s Design Book List is filled with books on architecture, landscape and interior design. All of these design books are set to be released throughout November and are sure to be informative and entertaining.
Included in this month’s Design Book List are: “Thomas Balsley: Uncommon Ground,” “The High Line,” “SuperLux: Smart Light Art, Design & Architecture for Cities,” “The Authentic Garden: Naturalistic and Contemporary Landscape Design,” “The Finer Things: Timeless Furniture, Textiles, and Details,” “The Bauhaus: #itsalldesign” and “Seaside Living: 50 Remarkable Houses.”
“Thomas Balsley: Uncommon Ground”
Thomas Balsley is a renowned American landscape architect whose NYC-based studio is responsible for some of the most notable spaces throughout the U.S. and Far East. This volume of selected works displays the range of that work over the past 25 years; consisting of public and private parks, plazas, campuses, and waterfronts and attests to the level of design that has defined his international reputation and that of his studio.
Working in the margins of the city grid, scraps of land and post-industrial waterfronts, his unique fusion of nature, culture and process have produced vibrant public spaces and has established him as a leader in his field and of the sustainable and livable urban environment. In NYC, his portfolio of over one hundred landscapes includes 13 blocks along the Hudson River called Riverside Park South, Gantry Park, Hunter’s Point South along the East River across from the United Nations, Peggy Rockefeller Plaza, and Balsley Park on Manhattan’s 57th Street, named in his honor.
BASIC FACTS: “Thomas Balsley: Uncommon Ground” is written by Thomas Balsley and Jane Gillette. Published by ORO Editions. Release Date: November 1, 2015. Hardcover; 300 pages; $45.00.
“The High Line”
This is the first full documentation that visually charts the journey of this global landmark from the designer’s point of view. Hundreds of illustrations showcase every aspect of the project and its unforeseen influence. The book includes previously unpublished archival materials, such as the drawings behind the original proposal and images of the construction. “The High Line” mirrors the architecture and composition of the park through its large landscape format with foldouts, packaging and inserts. Detailed, obsessive, quirky, compelling, and beautiful, the seven chapters in the book capture the essence of the High Line. This is a first-hand, behind-the-scenes account of the inspiration that went on behind the High Line, the transformative public ‘park in the sky’ that has reshaped global perceptions of urban space – and become one of the most beloved and visited destinations in New York City.
BASIC FACTS: “The High Line” is written by James Corner Field Operations, Diller, Scofidio and Renfro. Published by Phaidon Press. Release Date: November 9, 2015. Hardcover; 458 pages; $75.00.
“SuperLux: Smart Light Art, Design & Architecture for Cities”
In recent years, new lighting technologies have been used to illuminate cities and towns in creative, energy-efficient ways. “Smart Light” is now a widely used term for the new technologies and ecological ideas that are transforming nighttime atmospheres, and spectacular Smart Light festivals are awing audiences around the world.
Featuring more than 120 public artworks, design installations, and architectural elements, “SuperLux” is a visual celebration of the ingenuity and artistry of the latest lighting technology. The book’s three sections focus on projects that use light to animate architecture and media screens; new lighting in former industrial zones and new public areas, including wayfinding and street lighting; and interactive installations in urban spaces. Each is punctuated with essays by experts and designers on this new phenomenon.
BASIC FACTS: “SuperLux: Smart Light Art, Design & Architecture for Cities” is written by Davina Jackson. Published by Thames & Hudson. Release Date: November 9, 2015. Hardcover; 272 pages; $55.00.
“The Authentic Garden: Naturalistic and Contemporary Landscape Design”
In contemporary American garden design, beauty for beauty’s sake is making a comeback. The sixty gardens featured here trace current planting trends across the country, showcasing the best designs of recent years. Over 250 images reveal gardens created by the top American firms working today, as well as beautiful gardens by lesser-known regional firms. Detail as well as overview images of gardens throughout the seasons and plant identifications make this volume a valuable reference for home gardeners as well as landscape design professionals interested in the contemporary American garden.
Plants can be used to reinforce meaningful content, ecological strategies, and, most importantly, to create immersive and emotional experiences. As the movements of architectural, naturalistic, meadow, matrix, graphic, and ecological planting design have been adopted in such notable incarnations as the High Line in New York and Citygarden in St. Louis, they have rekindled interest in using plants that suit a given site’s ecology—and in letting plants, rather than hardscape elements, lead design. Residential as well as public gardens are featured in this book.
BASIC FACTS: “The Authentic Garden: Naturalistic and Contemporary Landscape Design” is written by Richard Hartlage and Sandy Fischer. Published by The Monacelli Press. Release Date: November 17, 2015. Hardcover; 224 pages; $50.00.
“The Finer Things: Timeless Furniture, Textiles, and Details”
From the founder of DwellStudio and the author of “Undecorate,” this new decorating resource trains the eye to recognize enduring, quality home goods and to use them in effective home design. Quality matters. Just as a home’s foundation should be built to stand the test of time, so, too, should the furniture, objects, and elements of our rooms speak to an enduring sense of beauty and comfort. They should outlast trends and our loving day-to-day use. But how does one recognize quality and judge whether something is well made?
Christiane Lemieux set out to answer this question by interviewing the world’s greatest experts. Weaving together the insights and guidance of dozens of wallpaper and paint specialists, textile fabricators, accessories artisans, and interior designers, Lemieux has curated an education in recognizing the hallmarks of timeless, heirloom-quality pieces. Hundreds of home interiors—both iconic examples from the past and stunning residences today—represent the range of customized environments that can be created with fine décor.
BASIC FACTS: “The Finer Things: Timeless Furniture, Textiles, and Details” is written by Christiane Lemieux. Published by Potter Style. Release Date: November 24, 2015. Hardcover; 400 pages; $60.00.
“The Bauhaus: #itsalldesign”
“The Bauhaus: #itsalldesign” offers a comprehensive overview of the extended concept of design that was initiated at the Bauhaus. Alongside rare exhibits from design, architecture, art, film and photography, the book documents the development processes as well as the socio-political concepts behind the Bauhaus. To underline their relevance for today's creative practice, these ideas are contrasted to current themes in design such as the digital revolution, and the works of numerous present-day artists and designers.
This publication features essays by authors such as Arthur Rüegg and Jan Boelen, a glossary of the basic ideas behind design at the Bauhaus, as well as a detailed catalogue section. Among others, Olaf Nicolai, Adrian Sauer, Wilfried Kühn and Joseph Grima have created artistic works on the topic especially for the exhibition. Numerous articles by distinguished designers, artists and architects from all over the world, who, with their ideas, projects and theories reflect on the topicality of the Bauhaus and its influence on 21st-century design, form part of this new and contemporary look at the movement. The book includes works by Josef Albers, Marcel Breuer, Walter Gropius, Marianne Brandt, Wassily Kandinsky, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Herbert Bayer and many others.
BASIC FACTS: “The Bauhaus: #itsalldesign” is written by Mateo Kries (Editor) and Jolanthe Kugler (Editor). Published by Vitra Design Museum. Release Date: November 24, 2015. Hardcover; 384 pages; $100.00.
“Seaside Living: 50 Remarkable Houses”
“Seaside Living: 50 Remarkable Houses” features a handpicked collection of innovative designs in contemporary residential beachside architecture, showcased with full-color photography. This book celebrates our connection to the seaside—whether as a summer playground, winter hideaway or permanent abode, there is nothing quite so relaxing as living by the water. Images Publishing has selected projects that underscore and demonstrate the dramatic blend of beautiful architecturally designed houses and the range in ecology and topography of coastal environments.
“Seaside Living” explores how homes are designed to celebrate their beachfront positions, allowing their inhabitants to form a bond with the natural landscape. Some houses are adapted from ramshackle retreats into modern glass and steel structures that frame the ocean views. Other residences reflect the architect's vision of working with sustainable materials, promoting both beauty and longevity, opting for a material palette that relies on suitability from the harsh environment and representation with the location. Among the projects in this book are beach houses that range from peaceful retreats to edgy designer homes spanning the world over, including an extensive range from Europe, the United States, Australia and New Zealand.
BASIC FACTS: “Seaside Living: 50 Remarkable Houses” is written by Sarah Noal (Editor). Published by Images Publishing Dist Ac. Release Date: November 28, 2015. Hardcover; 208 pages; $60.00.
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