Zoë Ryan

This publication brings together six artists and designers working in Mexico at midcentury who expanded the horizons of modernism.

Six Modernists in Mexico at Midcentury

In a Cloud, in a Wall, in a Chair

Water has been an important topic in architecture and urban planning for years. The revitalization of the waterfront has been a prevalent trend in cities around the world. On the other hand, architecture also had to respond to the threat of floods. The theme of Building with Water is the use of water in architecture. It presents buildings that explicitly refer to water in their design and form. It establishes a typology of building by the water: residential structures, recreation facilities, industry and infrastructure, buildings for culture and art. The various design parameters are explored in four essays. Subsequently, twenty-two international projects are presented, organized according to their locations by a river, a lake or the sea. The authors’ concern is not to show luxurious buildings in privileged locations but rather presenting projects that seriously grapple with the main criterion of the location—namely, water—in an ecologically sustainable way and respond to it with their design. Wasser ist seit Jahren ein wichtiges Thema in Architektur und Städtebau. «Building with Water» thematisiert die Verarbeitung von Wasser im architektonischen Entwurf; es werden Bauten vorgestellt, die sich in ihrer Gestaltung und Form ausdrücklich auf Wasser beziehen. Eine Typologie des Bauens am Wasser wird erstellt: Wohnbauten, Verkehrs- und Industriebauten, Bauten für Kultur und Freizeit. Ebenso werden einleitend klassische Beispiele des Bauens am/im/auf dem Wasser gezeigt, wie etwa Château de Chenonceaux an der Loire, Falling Water in Pennsylvania von Frank Lloyd Wright oder das Salk Institute in La Jolla, Kalifornien, von Louis I. Kahn. Geordnet nach ihren Standorten am Fluss, See oder Meer, werden dann etwa 20 internationale Projekte vorgestellt. Es geht den Autoren nicht darum, luxuriöse Bauten an privilegierten Plätzen zu zeigen, sondern Projekte darzustellen, deren Entwurf sich ernsthaft und ökologisch verträglich mit dem Hauptkriterium des Standortes – nämlich Wasser – auseinandersetzt und sich gestalterisch darauf bezieht

Concepts Typology Design

Building with Water

Iain Borden

A ball and a wall used to be all you needed for hours of entertainment. But these days, when good design is an expected component of almost every experience, much more is necessary if public urban spaces are to meet the requirements of 21st century recreation and leisure. Sustainability over time and flexibility to accommodate multiple activities, for example, are key requirements. Fortunately, architects and landscape designers have answered the call and produced an amazing array of public spaces for recreation. The Good Life showcases the best and most imaginative new designs from around the globe. Stripped from the structural constraints and serious programs of so many building types, the projects here are designed for fun. But they also demonstrate the role of public spaces in enhancing daily life, fostering social and cultural identity, and contributing to urban regeneration. Zoe Ryan, Senior Curator at Van Alen Institute and organizer of the 2006 Good Life exhibition, edited this volume, with contributions from a broad team of creative experts, including Paola Antonelli, Janet Abrams, Michael Bierut, and Diana Balmori.

New Public Spaces for Recreation

The Good Life

Exhibitions have long played a crucial role in defining disciplinary histories. This fascinating volume examines the impact of eleven groundbreaking architecture and design exhibitions held between 1956 and 2006, revealing how they have shaped contemporary understanding and practice of these fields. Featuring written and photographic descriptions of the shows and illuminating essays from noted curators, scholars, critics, designers, and theorists, As Seen: Exhibitions that Made Architecture and Design History explores the multifaceted ways in which exhibitions have reflected on contemporary dilemmas and opened up new processes and ways of working. Providing a fresh perspective on some of the most important exhibitions of the 20th century from America, Europe, and Japan, including This Is Tomorrow, Expo '70, and Massive Change, this book offers a new framework for thinking about how exhibitions can function as a transformative force in the field of architecture and design.

Exhibitions that Made Architecture and Design History

As Seen

Deyan Sudjic

Edward Barber

Jay Osgerby

The first monograph on the work of Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby, two of the most innovative industrial designers from Britain. The firm headed by Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby has won numerous awards since its founding in 1996. Distinguished by clean, modern lines, BarberOsgerby engages in furniture and product design, as well as consumer electronics, architecture, and interiors, making their mark with technical craftsmanship, formal vigor, and inspired use of color. BarberOsgerby’s work includes iconic designs like the best-selling Tab Lamp (2008), and is part of permanent museum collections worldwide. Their portfolio ranges widely from accessible work to custom one-off pieces, including pews for a cathedral, hangers for Levi’s, and the brilliantly hued Iris Tables. Their work has been produced by manufacturers and clients such as Cappellini, Swarovski, Stella McCartney, and Coca-Cola. Featuring sketches, concept renderings, and compelling photographs, the book is organized thematically with an emphasis on materials and process, tracing the inspirations and working method of this unique design duo.

Zoë Ryan

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