Design

The purpose and primary function of wayfinding and signage design is to provide spatial orientation as quickly and clearly as possible. Respective concepts and systems can be designed for individual buildings, for example coporate headquarters, museums or hospitals, for areas such as a university campus or distinct municipal district, or for entire systems like a city’s public transport. In addition to communicating direction, the interplay of typography, pictograms, materials, colors and shapes in these systems also delineates a particular identity of the location. On the basis of international realizations this title shows the range of different approaches and implementation possibilities of environmental graphics. No matter what kind of spatial context, the focus is always on visual communication that is understandable for every user. This volume is an indispensable reference work for anyone invloved in communications, as well as for architects, interior designers, graphic designers, and indeed creatives minds of any sectors.

“Less is More” is one of the most frequently quoted and most influential principles of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. It demands abstraction, functionality and clarity. The minimalist design approach applies to space and light, rhythm and texture, shape and color. “Less is more” is also the common denominator of the projects that were carefully selected for this volume. The presented contemporary minimalist residential designs from around the world focus on the essence of life, of purely being, while placing the residents at the center of the work. The synopsis proves that nowadays in particular a focus on the most essential is an important interior design theme that can lead to outstanding results.

For more than 100 years, winter sports have been an integral part of the image of mountainous regions. Skiing in particular became the “in” activity for the rich and beautiful during the “roaring twenties”. The sport was as much about competition as it was about an exclusive lifestyle. Since that time, winter sports destinations have advertised their assets through artistically designed posters. Renowned artists have used pencils and water colors to express the ideals of winter vacations in top Alpine locations such as St. Moritz, Chamonix and Gröden, as well as dream places like Vail and Whistler in the Rocky Mountains. The collection in this book documents the stylistic development while presenting in different chapters the most beautiful and exceptional posters of the era.

Everybody Needs it! Optimistic, naive and romantic, but not without provocation, extravagance and glamour – that is pink. Hardly any other color can polarize like it does, which is what makes it so multifaceted. The color palette ranges from subdued, restrained shades to garish, dominant nuances. For the packaging for her perfume “Shocking” in 1937 the designer Elsa Schiaparelli chose a pink shade called “shocking pink” that has since then become a classic among colors. "Pink Up Your Life!" is immersed in the universe of pink product designs, presenting the repertoire of famous brands as well as novel creations. Pink makes everything possible! The variety of products proves the point: much more than a color for little girls, pink can call on a global fan base from young to old, male as well as female.

‘Retro’ and ‘Vintage’ are buzzwords that include 1930s Jägermeister, 1950s Roberts DAB Radio, and 1970s G Plan Furniture. While Eames Lounge Chairs, Levis 501, or Chanel N° 5 have always been popular and evolved into style icons, other products and styles were (almost) forgotten. Rediscovered in recent years, some of them have made a comeback, reaching unprecedented levels of popularity today and becoming part of a hip lifestyle. This volume presents a wide range of products that are back in the limelight in their original version, or with modern technology behind the old exterior. Furthermore, the selection also includes new products that draw on styles from the past as well as modified relaunches and new editions. Whether regarding food, technology, fashion or transportation, it is a celebration of nostalgia that makes reference to bygone times.

Cute little bears in all different colours, grinning elephants and cuddly mice cavorting on the padding on the changing table, the winter parka, the playhouse: the design quality of products for children frequently leaves much to be desired. But fortunately the examples are increasing of child appropriate design with style. This is of course not simply a matter of satisfying the aesthetic demands of the adults: It is more about an attractive product design which makes sense for children and their development. This volume presents products for children which allow children to be children. Such products must of course also be functional and stable. But it is at least as important that they playfully incite their phantasy and creativity while encouraging their capabilities and potentials. They should also be a source of pleasure for the potential design lovers of tomorrow. The products presented include toys, baby carriages, furniture, clothing, shoes and much more in the categories of living, fashion and playtime.

Graphic design is the creation of visual contents in various media, whose presentation conveys information to other people. The field is interdisciplinary and subject to constantly changing conditions and different interpretations. This unusual book presents 100 young designers as well as established graphic companies, each on a double page designed by him, her or them. All artists were given the same sample page and the same specified font sizes and number of key strokes. They were free to design the contents of the pages themselves, arrange the text and individual pictures. Minimalist pages are juxtaposed to seemingly overloaded compositions, limited colors to expressive shapes and colors. This resulted in a comprehensive cornucopia of graphic possibilities and trends of the early second decade of the 21st century.

Product packaging has first of all to fulfill functional demands such as structural stability, air-tightness or air-permeability, information requirements and cost effectiveness. However, it is much more than just a kind of container made of glass, wood oder plastic protecting its contents: it is also the face of the product. Like the façade of a building, the package gives an impression of what lies behind it. Packaging is a crucial means to induce a consumer to try a product. Studies show that it has less than three seconds to grab the attention of the customer. Along with the classics of the age of mass-consumption, this title presents many examples of innovative contemporary solutions that are on a par with some of the packaging legends like the sculptural shape of a Coca-Cola bottle.

Sustainability has become one of the main key phrases and goals of our time. Environmentally compatible methods of construction and products are hotly sought after – especially when they are appealingly designed. The concept of ‘Green Design’ includes products from completely different areas of living and completely different aspects of environmentally compatible and sustainable design. "Green Design, Vol. 1" presents products that are not only ‘green’ but which also show good “design”: beautiful and functional objects of day to day life, which are distinguished by certain principals of environmental compatibility. Among them are environmentally compatible raw materials, production and disposal, energy efficient or energy independent use, and fair production.

Dogs are considered men’s best friends in most parts of the world. Consequently, dog lovers want their canine friends to have the most optimal living conditions possible – beyond the minimum requirements of healthy food, regular movement and toys for training body and brain. This volume shows the amazing breadth of selection and creativity of products to warm the hearts of dogs and owners alike. The smart furnishings and affectionately created accessories presented here are decorative as well as functional, from royally ornamented dishes, to exclusive toy, to comfortable pillows. Some wrap their dogs in elegant coats and protective shoes, whereas others grant them fancy luxury couches and inviting palaces. This original collection is an ideal source of inspiration for anyone wanting to do everything for their most signifigant four-legged friends.

What makes a classic piece of furniture? Which living design is timelessly popular and always contemporary – and why? Aesthetic quality as a function of clarity of design, rigorous color and styling are just as important as the durability of high quality materials and perfect workmanship. And of course, if not more important – is the functionality of this furniture that is right from every standpoint. "Masters & their Pieces – best of furniture design" presents the milestones of style of furnishings and their creators: the bold design of the 1920s, the upswing of the economic miracle in the 1950s, the colorful trendy creations from the 1970s or the restrained designs of the new classics of today and beyond. The most important European furniture designers of the 20th and 21th centuries and their most significant works are prominently displayed.

In almost no other European region the connection between nature and design is as pronounced and at the same time as varied as in the Scandinavian countries. The rugged wilderness and dark days require comfortable interiors with warm colors; while lovely landscape scenarios and long mid-summer nights are juxtaposed to functional-minimalist and timeless design. This title presents the impressive wealth of Scandinavian interiors, locally inspired and international successful. It shows for example how designers rely on the tradition of using local materials and natural shapes which they apply in a successful mix, often with current building technologies, to develop design concepts that make the Nordic style so popular and unique.