This book challenges the conventional idea of what constitutes the physical form of the contemporary city. Observing the absence of extended urban fabrics – the missing urbanism – in the new global cities developed today, it argues that these cities are merely statistical accumulations of density that lack the positive attributes of a genuine urban condition. Cities as urban places cannot be made by individual buildings alone but rather depend on the intertwined combination of an architecture that is bound to the creation of public spaces and streets, and engaged in the structure of urban blocks to form a complex field pattern of interactive solids and voids. Broad in scope, the book explores the nature of the fundamental relationship between architecture and urbanism as one of spatial formation. As an independently designed entity, the city forms the ordering framework in which architecture is partially subordinated to the mutual sustainability of the overall urban fabric. If a new urban architecture is to be an integral constituent of public place making, it must be composed using a radically different paradigm of positive, figurally constructed ‘space’ rather than the indefinite background of ‘anti-space’ as exemplified in the chapter on Mies van der Rohe’s architectural quest for the ineffable modern void. These two different spatial models are explored in depth in the eponymous article, ‘Space and Anti Space,’ first published in the Harvard Architectural Review in 1980, which forms the core of the book and postulates that the underlying attitudes toward spatial formation, at both domestic and urban scales, determine our ability to shape place and human experience. In a series of essays, articles and urban projects extensively illustrated by plans, analytic diagrams, and dramatic images, this book makes a visual and verbal argument for the steps that need to be taken to re-urbanise the city in order to achieve an urbanity consisting of multiple discrete places that depend on the essential concept of contained geometrical space. These spatial ideas are illustrated in this book in three proposals: for Rome, in ‘Roma Interrotta,’ 1979; Paris, the ‘Consultation Internationale pour L’Aménagement du Quartier des Halles,’ 1980; and New York in the ‘World Trade Center Site Innovative Design Study,’ 2002.

For centuries artists and designers have recorded places, people, and life in travel sketchbooks. Over a period of fifty years, Laurie Olin, one of America’s most distinguished landscape architects, has recorded aspects of France: its cities and countryside, streets and cafés, ancient ruins, vineyards, and parks – from humble to grand, things that interested his designer’s eye – taking the time to see things carefully. Paris in its seasons, agriculture in Provence and Bordeaux, trees, dogs, and fountains, all are noted over the years in watercolour or pen and ink.

Originally intended for the pleasure of merely being there as well as self-education, this personal selection from his many sketchbooks is accompanied by transcriptions of notes and observations, along with introductory remarks for the different regions included: Paris, Haute Loire, Provence, Haute Provence, Normandy, Aquitaine, and Entre des Meures.

Our Voices: Indigeneity and Architecture is an exciting advance in the field of architecture offering multiple indigenous perspectives on architecture and design theory and practice. Indigenous authors from Aotearoa New Zealand, Canada, Australia, and the USA explore the making and keeping of places and spaces which are informed by indigenous values and identities. The lack of publications to date offering an indigenous lens on the field of architecture belies the rich expertise found in indigenous communities in all four countries. This expertise is made richer by the fact that this indigenous expertise combines both architecture and design professional practice, that for the most part is informed by Western thought and practice, with a frame of reference that roots this architecture in the indigenous places in which it sits.

Like all mega-cities around the globe, São Paulo faces huge challenges. Yet despite these manifold and daunting tasks, the Brazilian metropolis has since the 1960s maintained a prudent policy of investing in communal infrastructure, thus providing inclusive places and spaces for all of its 20m-population. While many cities aim for a ‘Bilbao-effect’ by funding iconic, tourist-orientated projects such as museums or theatres, São Paulo persistently supports programs and usages that serve its permanent residents. This book, published in conjunction with an exhibition at A.M. Architekturmuseum der TU München, features a selection of these buildings and programs from five decades. Ranging from a simple canopy over a public park to vast multifunctional buildings, they provide spaces for sports and culture, education, healthcare, or gastronomy. Rather than merely serving a specific purpose, their key role is to be places for people spending time together. With contributions by Renato Anelli, José Tavares Correia de Lira, Fraya Frehse, Vanessa Grossman, Andres Lepik, Ana Luiza Nobre, Daniel Talesnik, and Guilherme Wisnik; and a conversation with Paulo Mendes da Rocha and Marta Moreira by Enrique Walker. Photographs by Ciro Miguel Also available: Wherever You Find People ISBN 9783038600268

All across Switzerland, in smaller towns like Schaffhausen or Biel as well as in larger villages such as Altdorf or Buchs, there are local public theatres, restaurants with a stage, or multi-purpose halls. This part of the country is second home to Beat Schlatter, actor-comedian, playwright, and the person behind one of Switzerland’s most famous faces. For some thirty years, he has travelled Switzerland in every direction to perform his own programmes and to appear in shows, and he has rested, changed, and made-up his face in hundreds of these places that offer some form of a back-stage.

When on tour, Schlatter takes photographs of these usually dull transitional spaces where A, B, and C celebrities and local stars and starlets await their appearance. This new book, featuring around 300 of Schlatter’s images, is a testimonial to the moderate tristesse and the well-intended fruit bowl inherent to all these spaces, no matter how conventional or hilariously extravagant they may seem.

Text in English and German.

The book presents the artistic project conceived by Carlo Valsecchi for the M.A.N. n.3 gasometer of Bologna, object of a recent restoration that, in returning it to the city, has given new strength to the landscape of which it is part. As the curator explains, in the architectural spaces that Valsecchi portrays, on the one hand one perceives the deepest mystery and fascination of these places, on the other one feels the sacredness of representation – subtle though evident in the scale adopted by the artist – and the sometimes coercive strength that these places bring with them. The volume includes an interview by Luca Massimo Barbero with the photographer, along with a biographical apparatus.

Text in English and Italian.

Faith Flowers is a guide to arranging flowers in places of worship. The book starts with the fundamentals of flower arranging and works up to advanced designs for festivals. Step-by-step instructions and photographs clearly show how to create many different arrangements. Flower recipes are included describing what is needed for each design. Lots of inspiration for new ideas and colour combinations. Flower designs are provided for regular services, weddings, funerals, Christmas, Easter and much more. Learn how to create a volunteer group to provide flowers for your worship services. Author Laura Larocci shares her knowledge from 16 years as Flower Guild Chair of one of the largest cathedrals in the country. Over the years she has organised, led and taught hundreds of volunteers at the cathedral and churches across the US. She shares the triumphs and struggles of creating beautiful flowers within budget and volunteer flower guilds. The book has good reference guides with photos of flower varieties, greenery and materials needed, sample ordering forms, budgets and tips for saving money. Sources for flowers and materials are also discussed.

French-Brazilian Elizabeth de Portzamparc designs buildings that serve as architectural symbols and powerful urban landmarks, which skilfully structure and inhabit the places where they are built. With characteristic innovation and through her dual sociological and architectural approach, Elizabeth de Portzamparc combines the requirements of the social, urban, and ecological scope with construction of optimal forms, a coherent approach that is legible on every scale of her work. This monograph is a collector’s volume within IMAGES’ renowned Leading Architects series, and showcases the extraordinary award-winning designs of this brilliant Paris-based architect. Lavish full-colour photography and intricate, detailed drawings help to illuminate her process and international achievements across a wide range, including architecture, interiors and urban planning projects, as well as design objects, museography, and scenographic works.

Text in Brazilian Portuguese.

French-Brazilian Elizabeth de Portzamparc designs buildings that serve as architectural symbols and powerful urban landmarks, which skilfully structure and inhabit the places where they are built. With characteristic innovation and through her dual sociological and architectural approach, Elizabeth de Portzamparc combines the requirements of the social, urban, and ecological scope with construction of optimal forms, a coherent approach that is legible on every scale of her work. This monograph is a collector’s volume within IMAGES’ renowned Leading Architects series, and showcases the extraordinary award-winning designs of this brilliant Paris-based architect. Lavish full-colour photography and intricate, detailed drawings help to illuminate her process and international achievements across a wide range, including architecture, interiors and urban planning projects, as well as design objects, museography, and scenographic works.

Text in French.

Urban planners have paid more attention to the concept of the pocket park as modern cities become denser and buildings taller. As the pace of urbanisation accelerates and populations increase, particularly in larger cities, there becomes much less park space available for people to enjoy. With less investment and area required, ‘Pocket Parks’ could provide a solution. They fulfil the need for highly sought-after leisure spaces, which can operate in high-density city environments, bypassing the hurdle of space. These beautiful green areas increase the ecological benefits of the urban environment, helping to enrich and satisfy the local residents’ lives. Pocket Park Design introduces the outstanding landscape architects and designers who create pocket parks.

Pocket parks should be located where they are safe and convenient to access, as well as providing open spaces that are comfortable, functional, and pleasant for park visitors. While the areas of a pocket park will generally cater to a variety of demographics, specific spaces or activity areas may be provided for dominant user groups, such as children, workers, or the elderly. This book studies the pocket park’s characteristics, as well as the relationship between humanity and the surrounding landscape. It will be a great source of inspiration to landscape designers.

Luis Bustamante has a refined and very sophisticated style, and has been working for over thirty years. This book shows his latest projects from the last five years, in places such as London, Miami, Madrid, Aspen, Cantabria, Marbella, Mexico City, Barcelona, The Hamptons and St Moritz, among others. His passion for art has developed a style that fits perfectly with art collectors around the world.

Luis Bustamante’s fundamental concern has always been to generate relationships. Not only are the spaces he designs intended to achieve this but he himself aspires to it with his clients. Bustamante understands design in the best posible way: as an extraordinary living art.

From the ruins of Palmyra in the Syrian desert to the ghost town of Bodie, the painted churches of Sucevita in Romania, and a fire festival in a Japanese village: Michael Webb has ventured far afield in search of the rare and beautiful. He recalls memorable experiences of people and places over eight decades of travel around the world, and some of the buildings and landscapes that have left a lasting impression. It’s getting harder to find places that have not been commercialised and overwhelmed by mass tourism, but they can still be found, even in the most popular destinations. Webb’s recommendations should inspire you to get off the beaten track and make your own discoveries.

“Moonwatch Only is certainly one of the best books ever written about a single watch model.” – William Massena – Timezone.com “It is an indescribable reference work and a true must-have for every Speedmaster collector.” – Forbes “This book sets a new standard. Not only for books on the Omega Speedmaster, but for watch books in general. I’ve never seen anything like it, and believe me when I tell you that I could fill an impressive sized wall with books on watches. Authors of other books or publishers should take a look at Moonwatch Only as well to see how it should be done.” – Robert Jan Broer – FratelloWatches “The OMEGA Speedmaster Professional – the Moonwatch – has done things that no other timepiece has done and it’s been worn in places that only a few human beings have been.” – Captain Eugene Cernan, ‘Last man on the moon’ There are very few timepieces in the world that deserve a definitive and comprehensive book such as this one. The OMEGA Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch is one of them. Initially designed for automobile racing teams and engineers, the Omega Speedmaster embarked on a very different trajectory when NASA chose it to accompany astronauts heading for the Moon in 1965. Its involvement in the space adventure has propelled the Moonwatch to the top of the list of celebrated timepieces. After years of research and observation, the authors present a complete panorama of the Moonwatch in a systematic work that is both technical and attractive, making it the inescapable reference book for this legendary watch. This third edition has been enriched with numerous new features including a 16-page gallery of astronauts and their Speedmaster, QR codes to extend your exploration and a detailed story of a vintage Speedmaster.

In a follow-up to Design for Kids (Images Publishing, 2007), in Architecture Is Fun Sharon Exley and Peter Exley demonstrate their ethos that architecture is one of the gateways to a more empathetic and equitable future. They believe making accessible places of learning, living, working, and playing are indispensable for human growth and development. This beautifully presented second monograph illustrates a nexus of architecture, education, community, and experience from the practice of Architecture Is Fun.

American Industry is as much a celebration as it is documentation. Through his unique vision and privileged access, photographer Kim Steele has achieved a spectacular distillation of a variety of icons of power. Some of these places of power are literal: sources of hydro-electric energy, such as dams or atomic and accelerators. Other places of power are more metaphorical: the might of massive construction as only heavy industry can achieve, whether in architecture or ships; or the romance of aviation and the exploration of space.  

The photographic images are as iconic as their subjects. Formally pure and powerful in their scale and clarity, they mirror the ambitious and inspirational quality of what are now understood to be quintessential and classic symbols of American ingenuity and drive. Together, the seven chapters, Hydro Power, Aviation, Heavy Industry, Energy, Space, Atomic Energy, and The Future, create a visual tapestry of American industrial power in the 20th century. A testimony of a gilded age of American Industrial might. 

Text in English, French, and Spanish.

This magnificent volume, featuring more than 750 illustrations, is the first definitive account of the Tonalist movement. Based on original research, it tells the fascinating story of how the progressive Tonalist landscape first dethroned the Hudson River School in the late 1870s and went on to become the dominant school in American art until World War I. More provocatively, it also situates Tonalism at the beginnings of American modernism, revealing how the movement’s later exponents laid the groundwork for the artists of the Stieglitz Circle, and subsequently Milton Avery, Mark Rothko, Adolph Gottlieb, Barnett Newman, and Wolf Kahn.

A History of American Tonalism places the key figures of the movement — such as George Inness, James McNeill Whistler, and John Henry Twachtman — in their cultural context, which was influenced by such thinkers as Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, John Burroughs, and William James. It also examines the lives and careers of more than 60 other Tonalist painters, lesser known but highly talented.

This new edition of A History of American Tonalism is augmented with more than 100 new illustrations, as well as a new overview of the stylistic principles of Tonalism. It will continue to be essential in understanding not only the Tonalist movement but American art as a whole.

“If you really want to get under the skin of a city, the 500 Hidden Secrets series, which covers a number of cities from Havana to Ghent, all written by people who know the cities inside out, is ideal. It’s an innovative and refreshing take on the traditional travel guide.”– The Independent
The 500 Hidden Secrets of Milan gives you 500 reasons to book a city trip to Milan. In this affectionate guide, true local and journalist Silvia Frau shares 500 favourite places in her hometown in fun lists of five, such as 5 trattorias for truly authentic Italian cuisine, the 5 best bars for aperitivo, 5 old-school stationery shops, the 5 most beautiful places to enjoy the silence, 5 addresses to visit in the footsteps of Giuseppe Verdi, and much more.
This is the perfect book for those who wish to discover the trendy city of Milan and avoid the usual tourist haunts, as well as for residents who are keen to track down the city’s best-kept secrets.

This new alternative guidebook is a personal ode to the mélange of cultures called Brooklyn. It takes you to the most fascinating corners of the borough and will help you discover places most tourists won’t go. The aim is to inspire you to start exploring Brooklyn’s neighbourhoods, which all have a strong sense of local identity. Discover more than 350 places the author would recommend to a friend, in eclectic and enthusing lists such as:

• eateries with a fabulous view
• must-visit galleries
• museums and skateparks
• inspiring bookstores
• the best spots to stare at the Manhattan skyline

Situated at around 3,300 ft above sea level in the mountains of the Swiss Jura region, the town of La Chaux-de-Fonds experienced significant economic development towards the end of the 19th century, which went hand in hand with much building activity. There are few other places in Switzerland in which the influence of art nouveau is so clearly visible. Significantly inspired by the painter and architect Charles L’Eplattenier (1874-1946), and his art and decoration course at the local school of applied arts in 1905, a local variant of art nouveau developed, the so-called Style sapin or “fir style.” Protagonists of this movement accorded special importance in their works to the use of symbolic motifs that reflect the nature of the Jura landscape and especially its fir forests.

This book offers a comprehensive survey of the Style sapin and builds bridges into the 21st century. It places the “fir style” within the international context of art nouveau and also addresses in detail the local facets of this movement, which has left traces that are still visible today in watchmaking, applied arts, and architecture. Moreover, it draws attention for the first time to the previously scarcely acknowledged female artists of the Style sapin.

Text in French.