In contrast to a decade ago, when ecological architecture was considered a luxury, it has now become essentially impossible to build without considering sustainability issues. Aspects of ecological balance have become an important part in the planning and construction process. In recent years, a canon of standard methods and possibilities has emerged to achieve this goal of environmentally friendly architecture.

However, there are architects whose ideas and techniques for sustainable buildings go beyond the standards that have now been established and are sometimes also mandatory. This publication discusses such new and innovative solutions for ecological construction. The author presents projects from all over the world that stand out from the standard measures and concepts and point the way to the future.

Swiss Design has almost become a fixed term: the Swiss army knife is just one of many products that have popularized the image of the white cross on red background. The triangular Toblerone chocolate bar is defined by its rectilinearity and instantly recognizable shape. In terms of the well-known Swiss asparagus peeler, functionality is its sole formative characteristic. When it comes to fonts, few are as clear-cut as Helvetica. This volume demonstrates that Swiss design incorporates much more than just austerity and functionality; nowadays, young designers from the Alpine country demonstrate their ability to create every conceivable contemporary design style that this day and age has to offer.

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.

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.

Elegant, innovative or even extravagant design can hardly exist on its own today. The ecological and sustainable aspect of a product is the argument that clinches the sale - especially where one is prepared to pay something more for design. That principal applies as well to the manufacture of products, for example those which are resource sparing, as well as their application, if they are low-emission and finally their disposal, if they are compostable. Green Design, Vol. 2 shows the most varied strategies of environmentally compatible design. Especially notable is the recycling of unusual materials, fair production and fair trade, low-emission use and finally the principal of conversion instead of disposal.

This title shows the wide variety of contemporary German interior design, which is centered between the poles of tradition and globalization. Germany's present-day global image is defined by modern technology, rural traditions and solid craftsmanship and is reflected in the design of public and private spaces: retro styles are revived and take on new shapes. The timeless elegance of classical modernism in the tradition of the Bauhaus is brought back to life and new materials and technologies entail previously unknown dimensions of design. This volume presents the stylish world of German interiors, which ranges from one-off custom-built designs to an accomplished array of serial products.

Sustainability has become one of the most important words and objectives in the last years. The modern society gains to live more conscious and to leave only a small footprint on earth. Eco-friendly and eco-friendly produced products are being hyped, especially if they are well designed. Green Design encompasses products from vastly different areas of life representing different aspects of environmentally friendly and sustainable design. This book presents around 100 products that are not only Green, but also Design: beautiful and functional everyday objects that qualify through certain principles of environmental sustainability. These include environmentally friendly resources, production and disposal, sustainability via a long life cycle, energy efficient or energy self-sufficient use as well as fair production.