In interior design, color is one of the most potent instruments to create mood and personality. Whether the palette aims at quiet harmony or full-blown color contrast, a colorful home is always fun, uplifting and welcoming. Interior photographer Helenio Barbetta shows us the way, with 20 homes that stand out thanks to their purposeful use of color. Author Kurt G. Stapelfeldt investigates how these interiors are shaped by their hues, and how color choices reflect the personality of the inhabitants. When used thoughtfully, color transforms any space into a personal sanctum. From floor-to-ceiling color to small bursts of color, from dark classic blue to bright citrus yellow: All You Need is Colour shows the many ways in which we can use color to liven up our living quarters.
The conceptual art practice of Cerith Wyn Evans encompasses installations, sculpture, film and text, translating ideas from philosophy, art history, film and literature into lyrical, often monumental, site-specific exhibitions. This publication provides valuable insight into Evans’ wide-ranging practice, as well as a document to the artist’s 2025–26 exhibition of the same name – Forms in Space…through Light (in Time) – at Lisbon’s MAAT – Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology. Featuring specially commissioned photographs of Evans’ complex, captivating works in situ, the title includes an introduction by exhibition curator Sérgio Mah, who also conducts an interview with the artist, and an essay by Professor Michael Newman.
Dual Language English and Portuguese.
architekturbild, the European Architectural Photography Prize, has been awarded on a two-yearly basis since 1995. The theme for 2021 is “The Urban in the Periphery”.
Migration between conurbations and rural areas, their respective attractiveness and independence, but also dependence and interdependence with one another: What would be more predestined to trace the subtle or even obvious effects of the urban-rural movement than architectural photography?
Text in English and German.
The Letting Go is a long-standing, performative, and participatory practice by artist Natascha Stellmach. It explores themes of vulnerability and empowerment. Following a meditation and in response to the question, “What would you like to let go of?”, the practice involves identifying, naming, embodying, and experiencing healing and impermanence through the body. Its method includes ritual tattooing without ink (a bloodline tattoo) to address a personal obstacle and initiate an intimate enquiry.
Over a period of almost 10 years, Stellmach performed more than 120 sessions with individuals in galleries and privately, including herself. Through evocative photography, academic research, and participant-contributed selfies and reflections, the publication invites readers to embrace “the wonder in our wounds” and offers a deeply human portrait of what it means to let go.
The book includes a foreword by acclaimed actor Sandra Hüller, as well as essays by curator and arts writer Kelly Gellatly and psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Dr. Matthew McArdle.
The collection of 18th- and early-19th-century French silverware brought together by Calouste Sarkis Gulbenkian is the most important of its time and one of the most significant sections of the Gulbenkian Museum’s collection. Amassed between 1900 and 1950, these pieces constitute a unique group due to their diversity and quality. The collection comprises over 150 works, including several world-class masterpieces that represent the collector’s taste.
The catalogue is dedicated to a selection of silver works of different typologies, such as centerpieces, tureens, salt cellars, candelabras and candlesticks, made by renowned silversmiths such as François-Thomas Germain, Antoine-Sébastien Durant, Robert-Joseph Auguste and Martin-Guillaume Biennais. Despite this diversity, these works all share the characteristics that make this collection unique: quality and authenticity combined with original designs, technical expertise and distinguished provenances, with former owners including members of European aristocracy and the Russian imperial family. These works were mostly purchased in Paris, but there is also an important group of works from the Hermitage collection, acquired through negotiations made between Calouste Gulbenkian and the Soviet government between 1928 and 1930.
After an initial text about Calouste Gulbenkian’s passion for 18th-century French silverware, the most prominent pieces of the collection are presented in chronological order of acquisition and are accompanied by comprehensive descriptions and analyses, as well as detailed information on hallmarks, inscriptions, provenances and historical and bibliographical sources. An excellent photographic survey, carried out specifically for the purpose, illustrates the 43 catalogue entries.
At the end of the publication, the reader can find a list of secondary silverware, an index of names and the group of archive documents and bibliography consulted.
Images Credits: Panorama
During the German occupation, a Jewish Dutch couple had to sell a painting to go into hiding. Their daughters were placed in a children’s home, but were rounded up in early 1944 and deported to Auschwitz, where they died. The parents survived the war and did not discover their children’s fate until 1946. The search for the painting also remained fruitless for a long time, until Origins Unknown Agency discovered that it had ended up in a German museum. The museum had previously tried unsuccessfully to trace its provenance. Thanks to the Origins Unknown Agency, the heirs of the original owner were found. The German museum and the heirs agreed that the painting, an 1882 work by Camille Pissarro, would remain at the museum. As part of the compensation, the painting will be kept on display from November 2024 to February 2025 at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.
“In this abridged extract from Don’t Be A Tourist In London, Vanessa Grall suggests a few places to start a conversation in London… and one place to go and listen.” — Londonist
“Discover the capital’s secret spots with Vanessa Grall’s new book.” — Country and Town House
“The cliché says that when one is tired of London, one is tired of life – but I think this book might help some to rediscover the joys of both… there’s probably enough here to keep you going for things to explore for the next decade.” — Amateur Photographer
“This book will encourage the wanderer within. It is a true traveller’s companion as much as a beautifully designed collectable for your bookshelf.” — Polo Lifestlye
Discover the secret recipe for becoming an artful traveler in a messy world.
Don’t be a Tourist in London offers an escape route from the typical tourist itinerary to the British capital, unlocking a vault of thoughtfully-curated itineraries, local secrets, insider advice and little-known urban anecdotes.
For the third instalment of the best-selling Don’t be a Tourist series, the author takes us to her hometown to rediscover the personal joy of travel, following our instincts – not the tour buses. Each episode’s journey has its own mood, inspired by different traveler mindsets shaped by life’s relatable challenges and familiar emotions like heartbreak, career hurdles or strong personality quirks.
This book will encourage the wanderer within. It is a true traveler’s companion as much as a beautifully-designed collectible for your bookshelf. Within the pages of this beautifully bound hardback, you will find…
Secret Restaurants; Time Capsule Pubs; Cosy Hideaways & Unique Date Ideas; Unexpected alternatives to major museums; Film-worthy Walks & Quaint neighborhood Discoveries; Hip London Hangouts; Aladdin’s Caves & booklover Havens; Places to be creative; Obscure/ Underground Adventures; Places to entertain the kids (or the kid in you!); Budget-friendly life-savers; Endless good-to-know advice and fascinating anecdotes.
More than any other civilization, China is renowned for its long tradition of ceramic production, from its terracotta and stoneware works in ancient times to the imperial porcelain manufactured at Jingdezhen from the end of the fourteenth century. These works have been admired and collected over centuries for their outstanding quality and refinement. Now two hundred masterpieces from prominent private collections around the world have been brought together for the first time in a new book. The Baur Collections in Geneva, formed between 1928 and 1951, and the Zhuyuetang Collection (the Bamboo and Moon Pavilion in Hong Kong), which has been building since the late 1980s, reveal the elegance and variety of imperial monochrome porcelain wares produced during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, which followed on from the Tang (618-907) and Song (960-1279) periods. These restrained pieces – both profane and sacred – exemplify the values of simplicity and modesty espoused by classical Chinese texts. With chapters devoted to the historical, cultural and technical contexts in which these pieces were made, this book will be a key reference on Chinese monochrome ceramics for all lovers of the subject, as well as students, researchers and connoisseurs.
Text in English and French with Chinese summaries.
Using the formalist conventions of an ironic heritage, William Ludwig Lutgens attains the expression of something sincere. Like the philosophical idiot who did his utmost best to unlearn all the fallacies he was acquitted with since birth and now only knows he knows nothing, the artist made the world into his own theater wherein he can stomp around like a bull in a china shop with the grace of a prima ballerina. Forcing a pathway to possible exits by presenting us with the alloy of his observations, imagination and scattershot references. Not merely asking questions, which seems to be the hype in contemporary art nowadays, he is unraveling the framework wherein these questions originate. The image deconstructed by the story of its creation, alternating between the power and impotence of the theatrical madness at the end of the world as we know it. William Ludwig Lutgens presents with his Comedy of Humours the dysfunctional family of man.
Text in English and Dutch.
Travel with nature and wildlife photographer Wouter Pattyn to explore 12 of the most beautiful nature reserves on the European continent. Along with photographs of stunning landscapes, Wild Places of Europe is a sourcebook of information for the adventurous traveler, including practical tips for booking your visit and taking the best photographs. Immerse yourself in these wonderful places and perhaps make plans to go to one yourself.
“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 Brussels is a guide to the Brussels that no one knows. It takes you to undiscovered art museums, forgotten squares and secret shops. The book doesn’t mention everything there is to see. There are already more than enough guides that cover the familiar tourist places. This book goes one step further and lists the places the author would recommend to friends if they asked him where to go in Brussels. Here you will find the 5 best places to eat frites, the 5 small museums that no one should miss and the 5 best record shops in town. The aim is to take the reader to the unexpected places that give the city its charm, like the restaurant on the top floor of the national library, or the metro station that is decorated with 140 characters from Tintin albums, or the art cinema that seats just 20 people. You do not have to do everything listed in the book, but you are urged at the very least to drink a Gueuze beer in one of the 5 best Brussels bars, eat at one of the 5 best fish restaurants, and visit one of the 5 best independent cinemas. If you do, you will begin to discover a city that no one else knows.
The 500 Hidden Secrets of Brussels offers a practical guide to Brussels’ finest places, and Derek Blyth covers all bases to ensure no visitor to the city is ever anything short of captivated. Packed with accessible, easy-to-read information summarized in handy lists, maps, itineraries, sections on food & drink, accommodation, green spaces, museums, galleries and shops; this guide is an essential resource for the inquisitive traveler.
It is a fascinating story that the merchant companies of Europe, established with the aim of sourcing exotic eastern spices, stumbled upon Indian handmade textiles and found these a highly profitable product for their home markets. This process was to have far-reaching consequences for colonial history.
In When Indian Flowers Bloomed in Europe the author takes us on a tour of 30 masterpieces of Indian textiles from the TAPI Collection, commissioned by European patrons in the 17th and 18th centuries. Presented here are outstanding examples of large, intricately hand-drawn, dye-painted cotton chintzes made in the Coromandel Coast, and embroidered palampores and garment pieces made in Gujarat and the Deccan. Textiles made for Dutch and British patrons demonstrate the aesthetic high point achieved by Indian artisans in the 17th and 18th centuries. Indian patterned cottons such as these, with their infinite variety of floral motifs, left a profound and enduring impact on textile designers in the western hemisphere, unexpectedly setting the stage for the Industrial Revolution.
The informative text is accompanied by rarely seen images from museums and private collections, offering fresh insights into these iconic examples. Three essays followed by individually explained catalog entries for each textile add to a greater understanding of an important, historical phase in the development and global recognition of India’s textile art, now preserved in museums and collections worldwide as a testament to the handiwork of the skilled artisans of India.
Careers in fashion and business permitted the Belgian couple Reinhilde Gielen and Hans Pauwels to travel the world, both professionally and privately.
There were years when their combined travel schedules meant spending over 200 days abroad, mostly alone, often staying every night in a different city at a different hotel. They were nomads who got glimpses of cities through the windows of taxis and hotel rooms. Time with people they met and admired was too short. So they compared notes and kept a list of places that they wanted to visit again and people that they wanted to get to know better. This book is about these places (95 cities all over the world) and their people. It’s a visual chronicle of fragments that share one characteristic: beauty.
Locations include Athens, Rome, New York, Buenos Aires, Milan, Paris, The Hamptons, Yorkshire, Berlin, Granada, Saint-Tropez, Nice, Miami, The Cotswolds, London, Beijing, Ibiza, Sicily, Kyoto, Tokyo, Mallorca, Goa, Trinidad, Palm Springs, Havana, Madrid, Los Angeles, Maasai Mara, and many, many more.
Architecture Asia, as the official journal of the Architects Regional Council Asia, aims to provide a forum not only for presenting Asian phenomena and their characteristics to the world but also for understanding diversity and multiculturalism within Asia from a global perspective. In the 21st century, Asia has been developed fast in the wave of globalization, and the living and urban environment are changing rapidly along with the economic development. In this process, many Asian cities are carrying out large-scale urban infrastructure construction in the process of rapid urbanization, and building a large number of iconic buildings that represent the characteristics of the country or city. This issue focuses on Living in the 21st Century, through three perspectives: the transformation of spatial functions, the contradiction between urban development and individual dwelling, and architecture in the age of self-media.
Tong Jun was an outstanding architect and architectural educator in contemporary China. He was widely considered an all-round talent in theory, creation, writing and painting in Chinese architecture. He had a deep foundation in ancient Chinese literature, and studied Chinese classical poetry since childhood. While studying at the University of Pennsylvania, he won many awards in the national architectural student design competition. He has left behind many works and manuscripts on landscape, architecture, and architecture history, sculpture history, and painting history that have enlightened and educated many generations. However, there are few records about him. This book recollects the last 20 years of his life, and introduces the reader to the very real and vivid practitioner that was Tong Jun.
As early as 1934 Charlotte Perriand began to reflect on the architectural aspects of leisure activities for all, but it was with Les Arcs, her greatest work, that she completed her reflection on the art of living in the mountains.
Alongside the developer Roger Godino, Charlotte Perriand displayed all the facets of her immense talent: design, urban planning, but also bioclimatic architecture, of which she was a pioneer. She had to deal with financial and time constraints in order to design most of the Arc 1600 and 1800. Thanks to her perseverance and growing inventiveness, her integration of architecture into the sites, her innovative and human approach to traffic, and the life she breathes into the resort, especially on the rooftops, she has made it a friendly place, in harmony with the environment. Thus, she designs the interior architecture of more than 4,500 homes, 25,000 beds, for an annual flow of more than one million people. Her wish to combine the art of living in the mountains with housing for the greatest number of people has been largely realized.
“The book is intelligent and informative. Investors should find it particularly interesting.” — Financial Times
The future is uncertain but for one thing: the global economy is in disarray. Investors, companies and governments must rethink their approach in light of raging inflation, the ongoing climate crisis and an ageing population. In addition, they have to deal with the highest mountain of debt ever accrued in peacetime, disruptive innovations and the effects of multi-globalization. So much is happening simultaneously, making it difficult to distinguish the big waves from the small hypes. Which economic developments are here to stay and which are transient? How will interest rates evolve? Which emerging countries will become tomorrow’s global powers? Which sectors offer the most opportunities? Macroeconomist Koen De Leus and market strategist Philippe Gijsels take a deep dive into the inner workings of our economy. They identify the five major trends that will dominate our lives and our money over the next 30 years. With in-depth analyses and concrete advice, they offer guidance, reveal connections and temper alarmism. The New World Economy in 5 Trends shows how you can surf global megatrends and successfully invest in our changing reality.
A stroll through a maze of winding streets lined with bright white houses, where you might stumble upon little cafés or art galleries, is often the highlight of a holiday. In Villages in White, travel writer Léa Teuscher highlights some of the most remarkable whitewashed destinations around the world. From classics like Santorini to hidden gems like Loutro, these pages will take you to the most spectacular places washed in the lightest hue. Find out what makes each village unique and catch a glimpse of what it’s like to live there. A must-have for globetrotters who want it all: beauty, history, and creativity.
In the third decade of the 21st century, we are witnessing an unprecedented exploration of female sexual power, while on the other hand reactionary cultural forces contrive to keep women as defenceless as possible. In this context, the work of photographer Alejandra Guerrero can be understood as a clarion call. Hers is a rarefied visual art that marks a turning point for female sexuality in erotica, her eloquent tableaux revealing the intricate ways in which women exert their erotic power. Here we see a future in which women dictate raw, yet refined desires. Each moment comes from the erotic fever dreams of the participants and the desires of the woman behind the camera.
Guerrero grew up against a backdrop of sleek automobiles. As a child she would sit in the driver’s seat of her mother’s Mercedes and dream of one day being in control of such an elegant machine. Her father was a mechanical engineer whose hobby was fixing up cool cars, and she would watch him at work, taking in the details of fins and fenders. It sparked a fascination, which became an adult passion, which eventually inspired an entire body of work. Auto Erotica is Guerrero’s second monograph with Circa and follows Wicked Women down the same electrifying road.
John Ruskin wrote this fable for a teenage family friend, Effie, and later he married her. The marriage was famously disastrous, but before it fell apart the Ruskins allowed The King of the Golden River to be published. It became one of the most popular works for children of its time. Richard Doyle contributed over 25 full-page illustrations and vignettes.
The King of the Golden River is the first literary fairy tale in English (as opposed to collected folk tales). Ruskin himself said it was ‘a fairly good imitation of Grimm and Dickens, mixed with some true Alpine feeling of my own’. Later he spoke of the capacity of the traditional tales ‘to fortify children against the glacial cold of selfish science’.
It remains a powerful fable about humanity’s dual capacity for destructiveness and redeeming love, with as strange fairy-tale creatures as one could hope to meet.
An essay by Simon Cooke explains the book’s importance.
Los Angeles has so much to offer, and this guide helps you to choose where to start when discovering this beautiful city. Where are the best farmers’ markets? Which street foods are not to be missed? What are the liveliest places to go dancing? What are some unlikely places to spot celebrities? Which art galleries are worth a visit? In The 500 Hidden Secrets of Los Angeles, Andrea Richards shares 500 must-know addresses in one of the coolest cities in the United States. It is an affectionate guide to the City of Angels that avoids the touristy places and points out the urban details you are likely to miss. From the best outdoor concert venues to the most beautiful country escapes, this guide is the perfect companion visitors who want to make the most of their stay and residents who want to get to know their city even better.
Also available: The 500 Hidden Secrets of Miami, The 500 Hidden Secrets of New York, The 500 Hidden Secrets of Toronto, The 500 Hidden Secrets of Vancouver and many more. Discover the series: the500hiddensecrets.com
Contemporary Beach Houses is a stunning collection that showcases 18 newly designed beach houses and apartments from around the globe. Created by some of the world’s most celebrated architects and interior designers, each project offers a fresh take on coastal living. From sleek, modern retreats to warm, minimalist escapes, the book captures the unique charm and character of contemporary seaside architecture. With a strong emphasis on natural light, open spaces, and a seamless connection between indoor and outdoor environments, these homes redefine the beachfront experience. Beautiful photography and insightful design commentary bring each project to life, offering inspiration for architects, designers, and beach lovers alike. Whether you’re drawn to bold innovation or understated elegance, Contemporary Beach Houses delivers a captivating look at the future of coastal design.
Three and a half years after the international success of World’s Finest Homes comes World’s Finest Homes II – a new journey through 29 extraordinary residences that redefine contemporary living across the globe. Bound in natural linen and crafted with the same care as the homes it celebrates, this second volume offers an intimate looks into architecture and interior design at their most refined – where luxury speaks softly and beauty endures.
From the urban sophistication of penthouse in Miami to the serene elegance of a beach-side retreat in Maui, each home tells a story of places, personality, and purpose. Throughout the book, readers will discover homes in Toronto, Los Angeles, Sydney, São Paulo, Sun Valley, Austin, Dubai, The Hamptons, Ireland, and beyond – each designed by some of today’s most inspiring architects and interior designers.
Stories of Home is an exploration of the idea of living and how Hacin—the award-winning architecture, interiors, and visual identity firm based in Boston—creates spaces that foster a true sense of belonging and connection.
This expressive and evocative publication presents a curated selection of Hacin’s projects and explores the emotional and conceptual threads of each residence, highlighting what’s most important to the people who live there. Together, these homes tell a larger story of life, and reveal how every aspect of a design, down to the finest detail, can embody memory and meaning. Interwoven throughout are narratives that reflect on Hacin’s commitment to concept-driven design, skilled craftsmanship, community, and the historic character of Boston’s neighborhoods—the setting of much of Hacin’s work.
Richly illustrated and beautifully presented, Stories of Home reflects on Hacin’s decades-long private residential practice and the firm’s narrative approach to design and place-making for contemporary residences in Boston and across the United States.