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Christmas at the White House is the most beautiful and grand celebration of the year. As Chief of Floral Design during the Obama administration, Laura Dowling was responsible for the dazzling floral pieces that made the season so memorable. Here, she invites readers behind the scenes of this complex year-long planning process, where some of the most innovative and ambitious hand-made craft displays were created. From architectural details including intricate hydrangea-covered archways, illusionary cube-patterned column covers, and gilded maple leaf rosette panels, to sugar paste floral vases and robotic versions of the First Family’s dogs, the décor inspired and delighted visitors and guests from across the country and around the world.  

In addition to her White House experiences, Laura shares advice and ideas, tips and techniques for planning holiday-themed displays at home, including step-by-step instructions for re-creating some of the most popular and original White House holiday designs.

The wreath is Japanese floral artist Manabu Hashiguchi’s preferred floral shape. Its symbolism is universal. With no beginning or end, the wreath represents eternity and the endless processes in nature. Hashiguchi’s designs are so graceful that they look as if there has been no artist’s hand involved, and nature created the shapes by accident. Even the humblest of materials get the chance to shine and tell their story. Discover this intriguing collection of seasonal wreaths, which balance on the thin line between classical floristry and land art. Text in English and Japanese.

Cycling has never lost its appeal. Alongside mass-produced models, the craftsmanship of bespoke bicycle makers has emerged to satisfy the passion of people who ride bikes as a means of daily transport, as a sport and for recreation. This book by passionate cyclists Christine Elliott and David Jablonka is the product of a worldwide search for the most influential custom bicycle makers on the planet. The result is a presentation of a wonderful collection of expertly honed, human-powered machines, built by some of the most creative bicycle makers in the world. It highlights the range of techniques, materials, design elements, and dedication that go into producing a custom handmade bicycle. It is guaranteed to take you on the ride of your life. Bicycle brands featured include: Anderson Custom Bicycles, Baum Cycles, Bilkeny Cycle Works, Black Sheep Bikes, Bob Brown Cycles, Bohemian Cycles, Bruce Gordon Cycles, Calfee Design, Columbine Cycle Works, Crisp Titanium, Cycles Alex Singer, Cyfac, Davidson Handbuilt Bicycles, Don Walker Cycles, GURU Bikes, Independent Fabrication, Ira Ryan Cycles, Jeff Jones Custom Bicycles, Keith Anderson Cycles, Kirk Frameworks, Kish Fabrication, Llewelyn Custom Bicycles, Lynskey, Marschall Framework, Moots, Naked Bicycles and Design, Pegoretti, Richard Sachs Cycles, Roark Custom Titanium Bicycles, Robin Mather, Signal Cycles, Steve Potts Bicycles, Strawberry, Sweet Pea Cycles, Vanilla Bicycles, Vendetta Cycles, Vicious Cycles, Wolfhound Cycles. Also available: Racing Bicycles ISBN: 9781864704822

This book is every foodie’s dream cookbook, a book like no other: a secret almanac of sorts of the themed degustation nights that have featured in Isadora Chai’s venue, Bistro à Table, in Kuala Lumpur – a hole-in-the-wall venue that remains as the only restaurant in Malaysia to have themed degustation dinners every month.

Resplendent with stunningly detailed photography, Isadora Chai’s cookbook explores her gastro gourmand’s take on a delicious array of superbly satirical but infinitely edible recipes. She details many sophisticated, very passionate, and innovative culinary surprises, including a wide range of dishes directly reversed, such as the Reversed Sushi and the Reversed Root Beer Float, where the proportions of the components and the composition of well-known dishes are reversed. Other menus reflect the heady worlds of politics, love and war no less. The book also includes a beautifully illustrated Manga graphic novel – by the author’s own hand – which presents an exquisite collection of dishes from the degustation combining modern Japanese food, subculture and art. Intrigued? This book is unique and spectacularly expressive snapshot of a culinary expert whose star continues to be on the rise.

A beautifully illustrated single-project monograph on the innovative design process and creation of a flagship lakeside resort in central China, the Hilton Wuhan Optics Valley resort, this book showcases the chronological project phases, from the early-stage site preparations, design and engineering parameters, through to final construction and completion. The resort is a business and convention center, as well as a prime hub for political and business activities. There are dedicated spaces for meetings and receptions, a full suite of leisure facilities, such as a large spa area, an indoor heated swimming pool, an outdoor swimming pool, a gym, a cycling route, a lakeside basketball court, and a tennis court. The hotel component of the resort comprises luxury guest rooms and suites, all with private balconies overlooking a beautiful lake, a convention center with a huge zero-pillar banquet hall, and an outdoor ceremonial lawn.

Hilton Wuhan Optics Valley is featured by its innovative design. Tightly knit around the core site, the layout is characterized by a central symmetry and a clear separation of the external and the internal areas. The creative use of a cluster of courtyards interlacing each other characterizes the hotel lobby. The functional areas are thus separated so that the guests can enjoy an experience of unique spaces typically offered only by small hotels. The design of the façade drew inspiration from Jing-chu culture clean lines, delicate details, traditional textures and natural materials and imparts a sense of understated luxury and otherworldly elegance, allowing the architecture of the hotel to perfectly blend into the natural environment around Yanxi Lake. This book is a unique reference and useful guide for architects, engineers and designers of resorts, or related typologies.

For many people, their home encapsulates their life. No matter how big or small, a home is a direct representation of the homeowner’s attitude, their opinions, and their individual aesthetics. Using the home as a starting point, this compilation is filled with the first-hand accounts of local and international residents who live in Shanghai. People from all professions – office workers, chefs, designers, and even diplomats – describe their daily lives and how they have come to find themselves in this metropolis, whether they reside in small apartments, studio spaces, three-storey lane houses, or modern skyscraper apartments overlooking Pudong’s immense skyline. Each resident tells their personal story, offering a unique insight into why so many people from around the world have made their home in Shanghai.

To understand the development of private gardens, one must accept that there is no classroom that can explain how approaching such a project is accomplished. It is a long journey that is ignited in those who begin to pursue a passion for garden design. Beginning with, first, the study of plants and the wonder of all their characteristics, this knowledge then needs to be combined with a solid understanding of the mathematics of geometry and the use of scale and the relationship of proportions. Landscape designers must progress on to developing a style that fits a designer’s personality while, at the same time, expanding the vision for each landscape. Garden design seems simple, but actually it is very complicated work.

This book covers nearly 40 beautiful private gardens from all over the world, including traditional European gardens, American gardens, Japanese gardens and a number of gardens from Southeast Asia, with a wealth of high-res photos, floor plans, sketches and plant details to show the beautiful view of gardens. This will undoubtedly provide design tips for designers who want to stand out in the field of private garden design.

Seaside Living: 50 Remarkable Houses features a breathtaking, hand-picked collection of innovative designs in contemporary residential beachside architecture, showcased with stunning full-color photography. This book celebrates our connection to the seaside – whether as a summer playground, winter hideaway or permanent abode, there is nothing quite so relaxing as living by the water. Images Publishing has carefully selected projects that underscore and demonstrate the dramatic and coherent blend of beautiful architecturally designed houses and the spectacular range in ecology and topography of coastal environments. Seaside Living explores how homes are designed to celebrate their enviable beachfront positions, allowing their inhabitants to form an ingenious bond with the natural landscape. Some houses are adapted from ramshackle retreats into modern glass and steel structures that frame the magnificent ocean views. Other residences reflect the architect’s vision of working with sustainable materials, promoting both beauty and longevity, opting for a material palette that relies on suitability from the harsh, corrosive salt spray environment and representation with the location – reminiscent of flotsam, rich but weathered. The lure of the beach evokes a sense of relaxation and these homes are truly enticing spaces. Among the awe-inspiring projects in this book are stunning beach houses that range from peaceful retreats to edgy designer homes spanning the world over, including an extensive range from Europe, the United States, Australia and New Zealand.

How do data journalism designers overcome information overload in today’s fast-paced environment, and find simple and compelling methods to filter and convey news content? One of the most effective ways is to use dynamic infographics and data visualisations. The use of powerful graphics and illustrations will capture the viewer’s attention and interest, and by burying boring data creatively, strong graphics will provide a clever and compelling visual story that’s driven by accessible and clear communication.

This book introduces the developmental history and characteristics of data journalism, describing its classification and the features of journalism published by world-renowned media. It focuses on the design and production of data journalism, explaining the basic elements of design, common design methods and includes showcase designs from the simple to the very complex. This volume helps show how and where to find opportunities to use creative graphics and illustrations, including hand-painted illustrations. This book is a must-have for professional designers and design students, or those readers who are interested in compelling visual storytelling through design.

Piet Paris’ gift is to be able to stylize the frivolous. His work derives its power from the balance between the outer line and what it contains. “Illustration is such a beautiful way of telling about my all-time love affair with fashion”, he admits. And so each of his artworks is presented as a valentine. With 115 illustrations this book shows us Piet Paris’ powerful images of fashion from the nineties until now. His illustrations are colorful compositions of beauty, humor and intelligence that capture the essence of fashion in timeless works of art. Contents:
Heart and Hand Introduction by Laird Borrelli Stencil & Space Perpetuum Mobile In Series HB Big Business In the Wings Lots of Less Heavenly Message Unmissable Textiles Off the Rack Line of Beauty

In 2008, a discovery was made that brought the works of Marie Goslich to light. Part of her estate, long thought to have been lost, was rediscovered in a guesthouse in Geltow at the Schwielowsee lake. Some 400 glass plate negatives exist today, survivors of the chaos of both world wars. This book makes Goslich’s photos available to the public 100 years after their capture, celebrating her as a bold pioneer and a grande dame of German photojournalism and social critique. Born in Frankfurt (Oder) in 1859, Marie Goslich tried her hand at various things before beginning to work as a journalist and editor. Cited in Berlin’s residents register, these professional titles alone were remarkable for a woman of her time. To cap it all, she began training as a photographer at the age of 44 in order to be able to provide her articles with pictures. As a result, she is one of the first professional female photographers in the world. With social injustice being her main concern, Goslich wrote and illustrated many articles, some of which were quite radical, to address the causes of suffering and misery. Again and again, her works denounce the gap between rich and poor. They portray traveling people, street vendors, beggars, ragmen and tinkers. All of her pictures betray her empathy towards her subjects, giving her photos a very intimate and rousing effect. Text in English and German.

Loving: A Photographic History of Men in Love, 1850-1950 portrays the history of romantic love between men in hundreds of moving and tender vernacular photographs taken between the years 1850 and 1950. This visual narrative of astonishing sensitivity brings to light an until-now-unpublished collection of hundreds of snapshots, portraits, and group photos taken in the most varied of contexts, both private and public.

Taken when male partnerships were often illegal, the photos here were found at flea markets, in shoe boxes, family archives, old suitcases, and later online and at auctions. The collection now includes photos from all over the world: Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, France, Germany, Japan, Greece, Latvia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, and Serbia. The subjects were identified as couples by that unmistakable look in the eyes of two people in love – impossible to manufacture or hide. They were also recognized by body language – evidence as subtle as one hand barely grazing another – and by inscriptions, often coded.

Included here are ambrotypes, daguerreotypes, glass negatives, tin types, cabinet cards, photo postcards, photo strips, photomatics, and snapshots – over 100 years of social history and the development of photography.

Loving will be produced to the highest standards in illustrated book publishing, The photographs – many fragile from age or handling – have been digitized using a technology derived from that used on surveillance satellites and available in only five places around the world. Paper and other materials are among the best available. And Loving will be manufactured at one of the world’s elite printers. Loving, the book, will be up to the measure of its message in every way.

In these delight-filled pages, couples in love tell their own story for the first time at a time when joy and hope – indeed human connectivity – are crucial lifelines to our better selves. Universal in reach and overwhelming in impact, Loving speaks to our spirit and resilience, our capacity for bliss, and our longing for the shared truths of love.

“admiring and ferocious”France Inter

“This first biography, fed by many first-rate witnesses… we laugh, we shudder, we admire.”Elle

“Thus emerges the story of Karl Lagerfeld: his father’s past in the heart of wartime Germany, his rivalry with Yves Saint Laurent (enflamed by his only love, Jacques de Bascher) and the networks he forged with the biggest luxury manufacturers in the world as he compiled his vast fortune.”Lovely Books

“Anyone who wants to gain a deeper insight into the life of the real Karl Lagerfeld will find the biography “Kaiser Karl” to be the right reading material.”
— Harper’s Bazaar Germany

On the last morning of his life, Karl Lagerfeld’s only companion was Sébastien, his bodyguard and right-hand man. The king of fashion insisted on being cremated, along with his universally recognizable ‘gear’ – the dark glasses and high starched collar that served as a bastion for his secrets. It is only now that witnesses have begun to talk. Thus emerges the story of Karl Lagerfeld: his father’s past in the heart of wartime Germany, his rivalry with Yves Saint Laurent (enflamed by his only love, Jacques de Bascher) and the networks he forged with the biggest luxury manufacturers in the world as he compiled his vast fortune. Truly an unparalleled icon in the history of fashion, Lagerfeld’s legacy lives on today.

“The life of Andrew Grima, the Italian-Anglo jeweler beloved of the royals, is celebrated in a stunning new book.” – People

“a detailed and lavishly illustrated portrait” – Rapaport magazine

The father of modern jewelry, the golden engineer, the King of Bling… These are just some of the epithets assigned to Andrew Grima, the British genius who marched in the vanguard of a 1960s London-based movement that created a new vocabulary for jewelry design.

Jeweler to the royals and the jet set, to the rule makers and the tastemakers, Grima was a feted celebrity who appeared on talk shows, in Pathé newsreels and in advertisements for Canada Dry. He won The Queen’s Award for Export, The Duke of Edinburgh’s Prize for Elegant Design and a record 11 De Beers Diamonds International Awards (the ‘Oscars’ of the jewelry world).

This book illuminates the career of a man who participated in a golden age of British creativity. It contains a dazzling array of never-before-seen sketches, designs and photographs from the Grima archives and includes a sparkling preface from the doyen of jewelry experts, TV celebrity Geoffrey Munn. A must-buy publication for art and jewelry lovers alike.

“Since discovering the work of Andrew Grima, I have not only become a collector of his exquisite creations, I have also become one of the many to be inspired by his unique and inimitable designs. Each piece of jewellery, each watch, each object is a sculpture.” – Marc Jacobs

 “His work, his style, is completely identifiable, it’s unique.” – James Taffin de Givenchy

First exhibited at the Exposition Universelle (Paris, 1900) Louis XIII has embodied sophistication for over a century. Each bottle is a unique work of art, from the decanter – each of which requires eleven craftsmen to blow the crystal, apply the ornamentation and wrap the 20-K gold collar around its slender neck – to the cognac itself. Composed of up to 1200 eaux-de-vie from the first cru of the Cognac region, Grande Champagne, Louis XIII balances notes of myrrh, honey, dried roses, plum, honeysuckle, cigar boxes, leather, figs and passion fruit in an unmatched, ambrosial blend.

This book is an ode to the cognac, sung by some of its earliest and most vibrant devotees. We delve into the diaries and letters of two passionate travelers aboard the America-bound cruiser Normandie, 1935; the agenda of King George VI and his wife Queen Elizabeth on their visit to Versailles in 1938; and the first-hand account of a young millionaire who, while on a trip to Constantinople in 1928, requested that the Orient-Express stop so that the surface of his brandy might lie still.

Tracing the history of the iconic decanter from the pewter flask found after the Battle of Jarnac to the inspired glass vessels that captivated the royal courts of Europe, Louis XIII Cognac – The Thesaurus promises an elegant and entertaining glimpse into this prestigious cognac and the characters who drank it.

Documents on Contemporary Crafts
is a book series published by Norwegian Crafts in collaboration with Arnoldsche Art Publishers. The series provides a critical reflection of contemporary crafts in a wider context and in doing so asks questions about the ties between contemporary craft, fine art and design, thus helping to redefine the concept of crafts as such. The five volumes discuss such topics as skills, materiality, curating, collecting, perception and New Materialism. The more than thirty contributors range from leading craft theorists, such as Jorunn Veiteberg, Glenn Adamson and Liesbeth den Besten, via academics outside the craft tradition, such as Roger L. Kneebone, professor of surgical education, Trevor Marchand, professor of social anthropology, and Margaret Wasz, consultant psychological therapist, to emerging voices like Sarah R. Gilbert, Marianne Zamecznik and Stephen Knott.

No. 1: Museum for Skills. Skills are essential to the crafts discourse. Yet in an art world that for the last 50 years has become increasingly focused on conceptual strategies, we have seen the tendencies of deskilling and outsourcing. In Museum for Skills, the contributors analyze the current situation for skills by drawing on experience from the fields of brain research, surgery and anthropology.

No. 2: Materiality Matters. If materiality is a quality-related concept in both contemporary crafts and contemporary art, are we talking about the same notion? Or is there a fundamental difference between, on one hand, a maker’s confidence in his or her materials, and on the other, a contemporary artist’s use and adaption of a given material?

No. 3: Crafting Exhibitions. Curatorial discourse has been an increasingly important aspect of contemporary art. The curator took on a new role as the ‘author’ of the exhibition. Crafting Exhibitions introduces some of the processes that go into making an exhibition, from developing concepts to the physical realization. The contributors offer different approaches to exhibitions.

No. 4: On Collecting. Collections make up an important part of the contemporary arts and crafts infrastructure. Collectors and museums help improve the financial situation of artists. Additionally, to be included in the ‘right’ collection or museum can give an artist a high level of recognition and preserves the art works for the future. On Collecting offers insights into collecting from different perspectives and sheds light on some of the structures that determine the ‘collectability’ of works of art.

No. 5: Material Perceptions. Contemporary craft objects can be perceived for instance, as works of art in ceramics, glass, textile, metal and wood, or as functional, handmade and everyday objects. Material Perceptions investigates contemporary crafts as representations of reality that do not rely on the concept of autonomy, unravelling the dualism between aesthetic objects and everyday things.

Norwegian Crafts is a non-profit organisation founded by the Norwegian Association for Arts and Crafts in 2012. Norwegian Crafts initiates and produces exhibitions in collaboration with Norwegian and international institutions, curators and artists. The aim is to strengthen the position of contemporary craft from Norway internationally, contribute to the development of the artists’ careers and stimulate further exchange across national borders in the field of crafts.

Aesthetic seduction, superb workmanship, and historical interest are the three central themes in the collection of Fondation Gandur pour l’Art (Geneva), created in 2010 and still expanding. The aim of this first volume is to catalog the works in the collection, whose decorative aspects are every bit as important as their narrative content. The works are for the most part sculptures – statuettes and ornamental reliefs – although two-dimensional decorations depicting figurative scenes associated with classical antiquity or Christianity are no less important.

The periods represented by the sculptural works discussed in this book reflect the scope of the whole collection, which ranges from the 12th to the 18th century. And since the goal of the collection is to document centuries of cultural exchange between France and neighboring countries, all the works included in the book come from these latter regions. The hybrid styles are closely linked, and this is an aspect of considerable importance, as is the originality certain pieces display and, last but not least, their aesthetic quality.

The book is arranged by topic, which brings out the great originality and extraordinary richness of the collection, as well as the extremely varied nature of the subjects, narrative episodes, and figures portrayed. More specifically, the topics are divided into five sections: ancient gods and heroes; biblical and allegorical figures; scenes from the life of the Virgin; episodes from the life of Christ; and saints and intercessors. Each work has its own entry that describes the historical and geographical context in which it was made, analyzes its iconographic content, and includes a bibliography and a list of the exhibitions where the work was exhibited.

This survey of contemporary winery architecture around the world profiles 30 wineries, and explores how the new generation of growers are incorporating a thoughtful approach to architectural design into their wider public-facing identity and mission. Following his earlier book, which explored winery architecture in Italy, the author has selected wineries in Europe, Asia, Africa, America and Oceania to illustrate how quality and sustainability have become priorities in the construction process. Responding to the increasing interest in traveling to see first-hand where wine is produced, he examines how wineries are creating well-designed and engaging spaces that are in tune with the surrounding landscape, highlighting the connection between the building, its surroundings, and the agricultural community.

How can you stay relevant for your customers? The answer is a combination of the following three factors: technology, personal involvement and social commitment. The past ten years have been marked by the arrival of 4G, mobile services, and robotics. These technologies have brought about a revolution in the field of customer experience and in the future, this will evolve even further. As a company, you will have to take a more active part in the personal life journey of your customers. This opens up the opportunity to tackle, together with your customer, concrete social world problems, including climate change, mobility, and health care. Customers increasingly seek out companies that do good for both themselves, and the world.

The Churches of India takes the reader on a fascinating journey through India to discover the history and architecture of the country’s Christian churches. With fine illustrations and an informative, easy-to-read text the book reveals the diverse architectural styles that have evolved in different regions from the very beginnings of the Common Era identified with the birth of Christ.

Churches have been built in greater numbers from the middle of the last millennium when settlers such as the Armenians and colonisers, Portuguese, French and British, brought their own branches of Christianity and religious architecture with them. Many churches were indigenized over time while others have retained their architecture in its pure form.

Joanne Taylor’s work gives the reader a deep feeling for the range of churches and their architecture, from the humble to the grand. It is also a fine history of the search by those who design or adapt buildings for a self-identity through the symbolism, explicit or implicit, expressed in built forms.

Religious buildings give India its identity as a nation of diverse people with their own cultures. It is a country with one of the world’s richest architectural traditions. Complemented by over 300 photographs, this absorbing book is the most comprehensive work on India’s churches to date.

From acclaimed Hollywood photographer Firooz Zahedi comes Look at Me, a collection of his most distinguished and intimate celebrity portraits. From editorial commissions from magazines – including Vanity Fair, Glamour, InStyle, GQ, and Entertainment Weekly, to iconic movie posters such as Pulp Fiction, Edward Scissorhands, and The Addams Family – Zahedi has been photographing Hollywood’s biggest stars for over 35 years.

Each photograph is accompanied by a short text offering personal insight into how each shot came together. Also included are never-before-seen photographs as well as special behind-the-scenes snapshots and notes from Zahedi’s appreciative subjects. Look at Me is a celebration of this golden age of celebrity as seen through the lens of one of Hollywood’s most accomplished photographers.

The book presents and describes the treasures hidden away in centuries-old shipwrecks: visible treasures like Chinese porcelain, as well as invisible treasures in the form of new knowledge revealed by the ships and their cargos. The stories of seven shipwrecks not only paint a picture of the Maritime Silk Road but also of the development of maritime archaeology in the Netherlands and in Asia.

Text in English and Dutch.

The October 2019 issue showcases original drawings from the National Gymnasiums of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, which are among the many items from the Kenzo Tange Archive recently restored at Harvard University. Treated with the same care as a restored painting, these technical drawings allow us to admire the tremendous detail of the architecture and understand the intention of the designers as they produced these lines.

A series of viewpoints and commentaries by experts from Japan and abroad are presented, including interviews with Fumihiko Maki and Kengo Kuma. Classic Tange designs such as the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, St. Mary’s Cathedral, and Kagawa Prefecture Government Building are also featured. The guest editor is Seng Kuan, who curated the exhibition ‘Utopia Across Scales: Highlights from the Kenzo Tange Archive’ held at the Harvard Graduate School of Design in 2009.

Text in English and Japanese.

JA 115 is dedicated to the Japanese architect Manabu Chiba and features 24 projects since his firm was established in 2001. Included are completed projects, works in progress, and future proposals. Working through a wide range of building types, he focuses on the special characteristics of the location as well as the people who live and work there. His designs try to build human relationships and communal social situations that are connected to these specific environments.

Chiba’s work is presented in 3 chapters that correspond to his design methods: floor plans, studies, and photographs. He pays close attention to floor plans as a starting point for his design concepts, while studies represent numerous, different explorations of ideas that unfold through the use of sketches and models. Photographs, on the other hand, are snapshot references of Chiba’s buildings as they currently exist.

Text in English and Japanese.