Design Books
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Naoto Fukasawa
One of my favorite objects from the MUJI store is Naoto Fukasawa's cd player, and that alone makes a browse through this book somewhat necessary, though at this price (why is it so much?) I'm absolutely positive I won't be buying it anytime soon.
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The Art of Looking S...
As Alan Fletcher says, "It's full of little entertainments." A primer in visual intelligence that explores the workings of the eye, the hand, the brain and the imagination An inexhaustible mine of anecdotes, quotations, curious facts, useless information, oddities, serious science, jokes and memories Distils a lifetime of reflection and observation by one of the world's foremost designers [posted by katie]
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[Art]ifact
This looks to be a rather interesting read. "[Art]ifact is about innovative product design that dares to go beyond the conventionality and bring a total havoc to our perception. With brilliant use of form (size and shape), material and colour, these designs stretch imagination beyond limits and create exceptional emotions and user interaction beyond the basic function. Challenging yet familiar, serious yet amusing, the titlele shows you a conglomeration of cool, intelligent, playful, ironic and unprecedented designs, each with an extraordinary angle, idea or story that will tickle our brain and touch our heart." [posted by katie]
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Design Matters: Logo...
For anyone in the graphic design business, or for anyone who hopes to be, this book is a thoughtful overview of what the logo process entails from start to finish. It's actually easy to read, nicely illustrated and very informative. Clear cut sections outline stages of process that lead towards a logo that's both smart and successful. I found the examples to be quite interesting, though it's all very polished and pretty, so just don't expect the hours of rough sketches and crumpled up ideas to be presented along with the finished product. It certainly makes me respect anyone who…
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And Fork: 100 Design...
A follow up to Spoon, this book has over 1000 color illustrations of items considered notable in today's product design world. "AND FORK is a comprehensive global overview of new industrial design today.This generously illustrated volume presents 100 of the most exceptional product designers that have recently emerged on the international scene...A wide range of objects (including chairs, lighting, footwear,kitchen accessories and electronics) provide an up-to-date snapshot of the newest developments in the design world.The book will be an indispensable reference for students, designers, architects and the general public interested in learning about contemporary design in everyday life." [posted by…
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ReadyMade: How to Ma...
I received this as a gift last year, and it's worth a flip-through, if not a proper read. It's got a few projects that are really quite doable, and a few that are worth a chuckle. "Each section begins with a history of the "raw" material, designed to make readers more aware of the environment and the uses of these materials...the authors also offer how-to advice, both silly (how to write a love note) and useful (how to self-publish). The playfulness extends to noncraft instruction on what to do with plastic ("how to start a business on credit cards") and…
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Compact Houses: Arch...
"In an age of "McMansions," this international survey of the latest in residential architecture proves that small is beautiful-and responsible. The houses profiled are designed to make maximum use of the smallest possible footprint in order to protect the environment. The houses profiled here prove that efficiency as well as beautiful, thoughtful design can be had in a tiny setting. Each project includes a case history describing its design challenges and how the architect overcame them, a detailed blueprint for each house, full-color photos of the interior and the exterior, and plans of the layout. This book will be an…
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Phaidon Design Class...
Phaidon has just released a three volume collection "PHAIDON DESIGN CLASICS" which features 999 industrial design products that their panel of design experts and editors consider as "classics"--objects that have attained perfection in design and function. "At 950 pages and over 4,000 images, PHAIDON DESIGN CLASSICS is a stunning, exhaustive survey of the evolution of industrial design, from the clothespin to the iPod, arranged chronologically from centuries-old tools to contemporary home accessories. Lushly illustrated with patents, prototypes, old advertisements, original drawings, images showing the process of manufacturing, as well as rare archival photographs, each product spread is also accompanied by…