A Little Bit of Beijing is an architectural graphic novel focused on contemporary Beijing and contains three volumes: Sanlitun, 798 Art District and Nanluoguxiang. It can be best described as a record of a moment in time in the lives of the three areas. The life of each area is documented through the use of architectural-style drawings featuring cut away rooftops, comic book stylized drawings that explore the details inside the buildings, and stories showcasing how people live, work, and visit these spaces. It was awarded the title of ‘the most beautiful book of China’. Also available: A Little Bit of Beijing: Nanluoguxiang ISBN 9787560873398 A Little Bit of Beijing: 798 ISBN 9787560873411

Winemakers all over the world have set out in search of the Holy Grail: to repeat Burgundy’s success with Pinot Noir. In Search of Pinot Noir investigates the changing character of Burgundy, asks what happens to Pinot Noir outside of Burgundy, and examines how the wines of each region age. How far are styles of Pinot Noir inside and outside of Burgundy due to terroir and how far are they influenced by winemaking? Extensive tasting notes address these issues and complement discussion of the regions where Pinot Noir is grown. Is Pinot Noir uniquely successful in Burgundy or have other regions in Europe or the New World succeeded in their challenge? Can Pinot Noir really achieve its full complexity only on limestone soils, or does it produce equally interesting expressions in other terroirs? Is there only one true path for Pinot Noir or have plantings in new places revealed alternative truths for this fascinating grape? What is the ultimate Pinot Noir?

Pinot Noir is a uniquely challenging grape with an unrivalled ability to reflect the character of the site where it grows. In Search of Pinot Noir is a world wide survey of everywhere Pinot Noir is grown, extending from Burgundy to the New World .

For many years, the artist Bernard Frize has lived in Paris in a bourgeois, typically French apartment with various fanciful elements. But now the Swiss architect Philipp von Matt has built a residence and studio for him right in Berlin’s rough city center, which is the complete opposite of his other home: von Matt has created a cathedral made of exposed concrete, measuring some 600 square metres (approx. 6450 square feet). It is an austere, massive structure that has huge windows and overlooks smoking chimneys. The use of raw wood throughout the building contrasts with its bare walls. The staircase is designed as an extended living room and reception hall, and it connects the four floors spectacularly.

The exterior gives little hint of what to expect inside. Upon entering, one suddenly realizes that the building gets narrower towards the rear and thus seems to be longer than it actually is. The straight lines of the walls, ceilings, and floors form acute angles, creating another dramatic spatial effect.

In addition, the materials are exceptional. The aim was to construct the house in the most environmentally friendly way possible. Clay was used to plaster the walls, the closet doors are made of wicker, and the ceramic tiles come from an old French wine basin.

This book, for the first time, provides a complete overview of the building, presenting a wealth of texts, layouts, models, and architectural photographs.

Text in English and German.

A combination of difficult economic times, a premium on urban space, and the modern trend for living alone means that living in small spaces has become a necessity, as much as a choice. But that needn’t mean living in cramped, unimaginative spaces. Living Little
shows how the challenges of small floor plans and compact interiors can be transformed with clever and creative design, the innovative use of technology, and ingenious and stylish solutions. Be they small or tiny homes, flats, apartments or storefront properties, cottages, shipping-container dwellings, caravans, or cabins, this book is the perfect source of inspiration for those short on space who are yearning for a strong dose of ingenuity and style.

a+u 19:08 features prominent new projects by renowned architects including, Jean Nouvel, Valerio Olgiati, Bjarke Ingels, Peter Zumthor, Smiljan Radic, Peter Märkli, Frank Gehry, and Eduardo Souto de Moura.

In the National Museum of Qatar and Louvre Abu Dhabi, Nouvel has displayed a rare sensitivity to climate and culture, creating modern buildings that are sustainable and appropriate in the Arab world. As Ibrahim Jaidar observes, Nouvel’s buildings mark a transition from historicism and mimicry of Western models, to a brand of modernism that is rooted in the cultural traditions of the Gulf States.

Olgiati’s geometric forms and spaces are seen in the Pearling Path Visitors Center and Céline Flagship Store. The Vatican participated for the first time in the Venice Biennale with ten chapels, including one by Souto de Moura on San Giorgio Maggiore. Finally, Radic covers the Teatro Regional del Bíobío with a translucent wrapping around the black theater volume inside.

Text in English and Japanese.

“Anyone who always wanted to know about the Rolls-Royce factory in Goodwood, it can all be found here thanks to high-quality images from photographer Mariona Vilarós, who has captured every production step in detail.” — Octane
Step inside a world of engineering excellence with this collection, dedicated to Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. The authors were granted unique access by the Rolls-Royce company. Detailed descriptions of the manufacturing process are set against a backdrop of heritage and prestige,including an exclusive showcase of the company’s manufacturing facility and a splendid gallery of Rolls-Royce cars dating back to sketches of work from the1930s. This collection includes numerous unseen photos of Sir Henry Royce driving early versions of his iconic cars.

A true behind-the-scenes experience, this book introduces the reader to the Rolls-Royce master craftsmen at work.High-quality images and detailed insights reveal the process by which each caris constructed, from the 2019 Ghost Zenith back in time to the 1904 Original.Rolls-Royce opens their archive to reveal a spectacular timeline of design, providing readers with an insight into the world of those who still uphold the words of Sir Henry Royce: “Strive for perfection in everything you do”.

The contents list guides the reader through the complete construction of a car: Design and Customisation, Paint and Finish,Chassis Assembly, Woodwork, Leather, Testing, The Spirit of Ecstasy Hood Ornament, and more. With a glimpse at the Rolls- Royce Training Academy and a plethora of featured cars from last year to the start of the last century, this is the ultimate Rolls-Royce collectors’ volume. Featured cars include the new Ghost (2020), the Phantom Tranquility (2019), Phantom Aviator Coupe (2012), the Phantom II Continental (1934), the AX201 Silver Ghost (1907), and many more.

Robert Konieczny, founder and principal of KWK Promes, in Poland, specializes in projects renowned for ingenious concepts and unique design. His works examine closely the nature and interpretations of spatial journeys for the viewer or those who inhabit the space, be it for residential works, public buildings, or international cultural festivals and exhibitions, such as the Venice Biennale. The firm’s work especially with kinetic architecture fuses seamless design principles with inventive concepts, namely movable structures that both catch light and create a uniquely experiential environment. A leader in industry innovation, Konieczny and KWK Promes was awarded the World Architecture Festival Award for the best building in 2016.

“Our designs are shaped by logic. Inside these pages we showcase a unique and detailed précis that narrates the story of the concepts behind our buildings.” — Robert Konieczny
“The ideas expressed by Robert Konieczny are quite radical and surprising—his forms are unexpected, and often closed or heavy at first sight. Though the Polish context, in terms of climate, history, and sociology may imply such solutions, KWK has laid out a series of concepts that could readily be applied to other places, surely generating other types of buildings. This is not a style so much as it is an intellectual construct.” — Philip Jodidio

Nantucket: Classic American style 30 miles out to sea explores how the island’s classic New England nautical style is shaped by its rugged landscape, as well as the sport, art, and its inhabitants. The island’s tight-knit community of achievers and dreamers has created an enviable aesthetic that’s affected in equal measure by the people, its historic grey-shingle homes and the 14-mile-long island itself, its wind, sea, and wild landscape. This stunningly photographed book features portraits and environmental shots of summer residents and islanders in their homes and leisure pursuits across the island, and elements that shape their Nantucket style.

Bombay is a city always on the move. Driven by multiple impulses, it has been the site for a Buddhist ethos, a safe haven for refugees from Persia, a hub of maritime trade and a melting pot of European and Eastern influences. Enriched with in-depth historical research and exclusive photographs, Bombay: Then documents the transformation of the once ‘insignificant cluster of islets’ into one of the most exciting spots for cultural exchange in South Asia. Among other views, the book illustrates the Mankeshwar temple and the Rajabai Clock Tower wrapped in scaffolding; the construction of Victoria Dock and the opening of its massive underwater gates; a lush and sparsely populated Malabar Hill; a rare view of the interior of a Parsi fire temple; factory scenes inside the Royal Mint and the Times of India units; what the stock exchange looked like nearly a century ago; and many breathtaking aerial shots of this beautiful island-city. A sheer visual treat through extraordinary historical photographs, Bombay: Then is for keeps. Mumbai has always been a city of dreams – shiny, colorful, nebulous dreams that melt away the moment you try to grasp them. Yet it beckons and the charm of the mirage is too seductive to let pass. Mumbai has moved from being Bombay to Bambai to Mumbai in four centuries and yet it is all three: encompassing all manner of paradoxical realities within its moist borders. Mumbai is restless, transient but the pulse of its past still runs through its streets. The fifteen million souls that inhabit this great island-city belong to all walks of life, numerous ethnic and religious backgrounds, and manage to communicate through the Babel-like confusion of different tongues and diverse histories. Mumbai: Now brings this shape-shifting, elusive city to you – from the stories of the first Goan migrants to the lives of native Koli fishermen; from the tradition of dabbawalas to that of ‘cutting’ chai; and from the potters in Dharavi to the pink flamingos in Sewri – in a series of beautiful, moving pictures that capture the many moods and faces of Mumbai.

“And, wow, what treasures Michael Kathrens’s beautiful book brings out of this city’s neighborhoods… some of the most magnificent homes in the country.” – William O’Connor, Daily Beast

2019 Osmund Overby Award, Missouri Alliance for Historic Preservation
Back in stock March 2023!
House lovers have cherished Michael C. Kathrens’s survey of historic homes in Kansas City, another important volume documenting 19th- and early-20th-century high-end residential architecture in America. The third printing of Kansas City Houses is now available (coinciding with the release of Michael C. Kathrens’s most recent book, Newport Cottages 1835-1890: Summer Villas Before the Vanderbilt Era). Readers can once again marvel at the beauty and craftsmanship of the midwestern gems they discover inside. Built between 1880 and 1930-the city’s boom years-these houses, mostly in revival and Beaux Arts styles, reflect the outsized fortunes of the influential Kansas Citians who built them and speak to the importance of this Midwestern metropolis.
Among the 40 superb homes featured-each well documented with archival and new photography as well as floor plans-are Oak Hall (1887) built for newspaper publisher William Rockhill Nelson, whose fortune helped establish the Nelson-Atkins Museum; the magnificent Corinthian Hall (1910), the classical mansion built by Henry F. Hoit for lumber baron Robert A. Long; the modern masterpiece designed by Edward W. Tanner for Walter E. Bixby of Kansas City Life Insurance, with Kem Weber’s widely admired interiors; Bernard Corrigan’s mansion (1913) designed by Louis S. Curtiss with a nod to the Vienna Secession; and two beautifully eclectic houses by local architect Mary Rockwell Hook, one of the first women to study at the E´cole des Beaux-Arts in Paris.

Kathrens’s authoritative yet accessible text is complemented throughout by drawings, floor plans, archival images, and newly commissioned photographs–a treat for architectural scholars and enthusiasts alike.

In Creatives for Creativity Steve Brouwers (creative director at SBS) interviews 42 makers – painters, photographers, graphic designers, conceptual artists, furniture designers, video artists, advertisers – from all around the world. He asks them about their childhood, their creative process, their inspirations and their most memorable achievements. The question that kicks off every interview – “What is creativity to you?” – results in an inspiring collection of personal conversations that provide an extraordinary insight into the artists’ minds.

Interviews with: Nel Aerts, Alain Biltereyst, Conrad Botes, Jenny Brosinski, Tad Carpenter, Emily Forgot, Matt Clark, Jim Dive,  Sue Doeksen, Bendt Eyckermans, Paul Fuentes, Harry Gruyaert, Ryan Gander, Tony Gum, Stephanie Hier, Wade Jeffree & Leta Sobierajski, Maira Kalman, Erik Kessels, George Lois, Anna Mac, Debbie Millman, Jonathan Monk, Mr Bingo, Morag Myerscough, Navid Nuur, Gemma O’Brien, Max Pinckers, Pixie Pravda, Kay Rosen, Stefan Sagmeister, Paula Scher, Yuko Shimizu, Sammy Slabbinck, John Stezaker, Charline Tyberghein, David Uzochukwu, Joris Van De Moortel, Anne-Mie Van Kerckhoven, Dominic Wilcox, Matt Willey and Shawna X.

There’s more to the South of France than sun, beaches, palm trees and the azure blue sea. For over a hundred years, it has been the favorite destination of many artists, who find themselves drawn to the superb light and the pleasant climate. The South of France for Art Lovers will show you what the area between Collioure and Menton has to offer in terms of surprising and remarkable art and cultural treasures. Journalist and art connoisseur Eric Rinckhout (Knack Magazine a.o.) selected more than 350 exceptional places: from the chapel decorated by Louise Bourgeois to the studio of Matisse and the apartment of Nabokov, from Eileen Gray’s modernist Villa E-1027 to architect Frank Gehry’s most recent design, from the oldest cinema in the world to street art in Marseille. Discover the best and most unique spots in inspiring lists such as contemporary sculpture gardens on wine estates, in the footsteps of painters and writers, chansonniers and rock stars, sleeping inside art, gardens that are artistic gems and much more.

“…I was pretty sure I had seen it all and would not find anything new in the book. I am delighted to report I was wrong.”– Marion Fasel, The Adventurine
“…a combination of excellent photographic professionalism and the infinite beauty of the star, who together gave birth to a real work of art.” – Di Redazione, Harper’s Bazaar Italia

“An extraordinary collection of photographs that celebrates one of Hollywood’s most iconic faces.” – Donato D’Aprile, L’Officiel Italy

“An intimate look at a Hollywood icon.” – Closer

“Bling, boobs & booze: She was famous for her diamonds, her tempestuous love for Richard Burton and her luminous acting. Now, a book of iconic images peels away the layers to reveal the woman behind the legend.”– Roger Lewis, Daily Mail

Elizabeth Taylor was the face of classic Hollywood. As one of the 20th century’s most loved stars, her image is instantly recognizable the world over. ACC Art Books and Iconic Images proudly present the work of eight wonderful photographers — Douglas Kirkland, Milton Greene, Gered Mankowitz, Norman Parkinson, Eva Sereny, Terry O’Neill, Gary Bernstein and Greg Brennan — who were fortunate enough to capture the star at different moments of her life. Throughout the book, the photographers share their memories of working with the icon, from patient pursuits to charming persuasion, each enlightening us with an inside view of what it was like to work with such an icon. The book presents a mix of set, fashion, portrait and behind-the-scenes photographs, including some rare and never-before-seen images. Forever Elizabeth is a visual tribute from some of the world’s best-known photographers to a star who continues to captivate our hearts.

“I have always been inspired by what was happening on the street – and anyway, I couldn’t afford the high fashion price tags.” —Caroline Baker

“Featuring an array of – now – infamous covers and high fashion editorials crafted by Baker, readers are encouraged to bask in the success of her trail-blazing tale and indulge in the history of streetwear’s rise to the helm of the fashion industry.” —Wonderland

“A fantastic delve into the story of fashion styling straight from the lips (and visual archive) of the lady who invented it all, Caroline Baker” —Navaz Batliwalla, disneyrollergirl

“What makes this book a must-read? Author Iain R. Webb is a friend of Baker’s, so this is the inside story of a woman whose work is a masterclass in the art of style and subversion.” —Yahoo
Caroline Baker is the antidote to high fashion. As the legendary fashion editor of Nova magazine in the 1960s and ’70s, her style was quite literally cutting-edge (she famously chopped up clothes to achieve her desired looks). She is credited with challenging the status quo of the industry and society at large, and introducing street fashion to the mass market. Stylist-of-choice for the most dynamic female designers on the scene – Katharine Hamnett and Vivienne Westwood – Caroline has continued her trajectory as a fashion provocateur. Her work has appeared on the pages of Vogue, Tatler and Cosmopolitan as well as The Face and i-D – and unsurprisingly, a new generation of style-setters is now looking to Baker’s back catalogue for inspiration.

This book offers an in-depth overview of Baker’s work, expertly curated and considered by Iain R. Webb. It is divided into sections that highlight specific recurring themes and tropes – such as Punk Rock, DIY, Utility and Sportswear. These ideas have defined Baker’s evolving sartorial vocabulary over six decades, and set a template for street fashion that endures to this day. Accompanied with personal commentary from Baker herself and specially written contributions by Vivienne Westwood and Katharine Hamnett, this is the definitive guide to Caroline Baker and her influence on fashion.

“I recommend to every Architect, designer and those who have a passion for New York to own this magnificent book…there is no better on the extraordinary Beaux Arts of New York.” —Lemeau, Decorator’s Insider

“This great, beautiful, glossy, polychromatic slab of a book more than does justice to an epic period in architecture when some of the world’s most luscious buildings were designed for some of the most unpleasant people in American history.” — Timothy Brittain-Catlin, World of Interiors

“New York would be little more than another faceless glass-and-steel city were it not for its Gilded Age buildings and institutions… An American Renaissance: Beaux-Arts Architecture in New York City, written by Phillip James Dodd with photography by Jonathan Wallen, is a gilded embrace of this legacy.”  — The Critic
The Gilded Age, also referred to as the American Renaissance, is an era associated with unparalleled growth, technological advancement, prosperity, and cultural change. Spanning from the 1870s to the 1930s, it marks the first time that the titans of American finance and industry had more wealth than their European counterparts. As the center of this dynamic economy, New York City attracted immigrant workers and millionaires alike. It was not enough for the self-appointed elite to just build their own grand châteaux and palazzos along Fifth Avenue—collectively they dreamed of creating a new metropolis to rival the great cultural capitals of London, Paris, and Rome. To flaunt their newly acquired wealth they needed an architecture dripping in embellishment and historical reference. Enter the Beaux-Arts.

This book, which has been painstakingly researched and beautifully photographed over many years, takes a close look at 20 of the finest examples of Beaux-Arts architecture in New York City. While showing public exteriors, its focus is on the lavish interiors that are associated with the opulence of the Gilded Age—often providing a glimpse inside buildings not otherwise viewable to the public. While some of the buildings and monuments featured are world-renowned landmarks recognizable and accessible to all, others are obscure buildings that history has forgotten.

Set amid the magnificent achievements of an American Renaissance, this book recounts not only the fascinating stories of some of New York’s most famous and significant Beaux-Arts landmarks, it also recalls the lives of those who commissioned, designed, and built them. These are some of the most acclaimed architects, artists, and artisans of the day—Daniel Chester French, Cass Gilbert, Charles McKim, Augustus Saint-Gaudens, Louis Comfort Tiffany, and Stanford White—and some of the most prominent millionaires in American history—Henry Clay Frick, Jay Gould, Otto Kahn, J.P. Morgan, John D. Rockefeller, and the ubiquitous Astor and Vanderbilt families. Names that—as Julian Fellowes (the acclaimed director of Downton Abbey) notes in the Foreword—“still reek of money.” Excerpt from the Introduction

Forgotten in Thailand’s troubled Deep South, stands a dilapidated wooden palace once home to a Malay ruler, the last of his dynasty. Locals call it the “House of the Raja,” a place suffused with loss and solitude, laden with the region’s glorious past and tragic present. Intrigued by this demonized, little-known borderland, photographer Xavier Comas chanced upon this mysterious house and felt compelled to delve into its past. The caretaker, a Muslim shaman who held rituals inside, invited the author to stay and initiated him into its hidden dimensions. As Comas builds a bond of trust with the inhabitants of the house, the missing pieces of its history gently fall into place, revealing an ancient culture long hidden and the building’s ties to the centuries-old struggles in this contested region.
 
Comas’ evocative black-and-white photographs take us into a realm of hauntings, mystic powers and fading memories. His first-hand account enthralls the reader with vivid descriptions in which the real and the magical entwine. The House of the Raja provides a missing key to controversial issues of legacy, belief and identity in Thailand’s Muslim South.

JA118 features Place+Urbanism series titled City : Designed by Crisis. In 2020, the world was hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. We are truly facing a global crisis. At the same time, the digitization of society is accelerating, remote work arrangements are becoming more prevalent, and the urban landscape is also showing signs of change. Humanity has repeatedly faced a variety of global crises over the years. Each time, we have generated new wisdom to overcome these crises, changed our social systems, and reshaped our cities. We have also managed to overcome the worsening of poverty, traffic accidents, and environmental pollution caused by war and economic depression by building mutual support systems and creating new spatial configuration for cities. In this issue, we look back at the history of the many crises that humanity and cities have experienced, and review what we — both humans and cities — have gained as a result.

Text in English and Japanese.