The New Design Books Your Coffee Table Needs
Anni & Josef Albers, £100
With galleries and museums closed off for at least the next few weeks, this striking book offers a much-needed cultural fix. A visual biography of two pioneers of 20th-century modernism, it tracks the rise of Anni and Josef Albers from their formative years at the Bauhaus in 20s Germany to becoming some of the foremost abstract artists of mid-century America. The couple’s remarkable personal and artistic lives are fittingly celebrated in these shining pages.
Visit Phaidon.com
Architecture in the 20th Century, £50
Taking readers on a chronological tour of the ideas and trends that shaped the architectural landscape of the last century, this is the definitive collection of modern architectural photography. Covering Frank Lloyd Wright to Frank Gehry, it introduces and celebrates the competing styles and commercial ambitions that brought the 20th century’s best buildings into being.
Visit Taschen.com
Dieter Rams: The Complete Works, £39.95
Dieter Rams is the German visionary who defined the golden era of Braun, matching good looks and great functionality to create some of the world’s most cherished consumer products. Made in close collaboration with the man himself, this book takes you through every one of his little works of genius, showing how they still shape the landscape of our everyday lives.
Visit Phaidon.com
Paul Smith, £49.95
Speaking of design visionaries, Sir Paul Smith has just celebrated half a century of his groundbreaking menswear label. To mark the occasion, Nottingham’s finest has picked out 50 objects that have inspired him and Phaidon has bound them up in this handsomely curated monograph. From a bicycle seat to a wax plate of spaghetti, this is a journey through the witty, offbeat mind that created an iconic British brand. Along the way, you’ll find him paying homage to… Dieter Rams.
Visit Phaidon.com
Jean-Michel Frank, €250
Assouline has spent the last quarter-century publishing richly illustrated high-end books. This one zooms in on Jean-Michel Frank, the self-made interior designer who rose to prominence in inter-war Paris. He shaped the styles of the 20s and 30s, and his exotic art-deco modernism still profoundly influences contemporary design today.
Visit Assouline.com
Atlas of Mid-Century Modern Houses, £100
This is the definitive table-top book for connoisseurs of mid-century design. Profiling more than 400 of the most striking homes built between the 40s and the 60s, it travels across the globe to spotlight some of the coolest buildings in the world, including masterpieces from big names like Richard Neutra and Oscar Niemeyer. Covering sun-drenched Californian pool houses to sci-fi inspired builds on other continents, the Atlas of Mid-Century Modern Houses is lavishly comprehensive.
Visit Phaidon.com
Travel by Design, €95
Combining two of the most aesthetically pleasing concepts a coffee table book could hope to offer, this collection is an ode to the power of travel and how it has the potential to shape and expand our world. Showcasing photography from 150 of the best American architects, it offers escapism by presenting cityscapes, ancient civilisations and stunning natural wonders through the lens of these creative minds. With 40 pages of insider resources – from favourite hotels to must-see monuments – it’s also a great travel guide if you’re planning ahead.
Visit Assouline.com
Atlas of Brutalist Architecture, £49.95
Characterised by minimalist construction and hard concrete shapes, brutalist architecture has been polarising opinions ever since the style emerged in the aftermath of World War 2. Dismissed as soulless by critics, interest in it has grown sharply in recent years. Inside a striking, textured hard cover, this anthology gathers together more than 850 buildings (existing and demolished) from 102 countries, making it the most comprehensive exploration yet of a controversial style that deserves a fair hearing.
Visit Phaidon.com
Art Life by Sig Bergamin, €95
Renowned for his eclectic vision and vivid taste in interiors, architect and designer Sig Bergamin has a unique creative eye that has allowed him to curate vibrantly designed spaces across the world. Touring 12 of his most spectacular homes, this collection is a captivating blend of travel, art and history that might inspire you to inject a little more daring into your own décor.
Visit Assouline.com
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