Color is inextricably linked with architecture; as a design element and also as an inherent quality, it characterizes the shape and texture of the built fabric. The book presents extraordinary color schemes, both in terms of technology and aesthetics, for ground-breaking architecture with a wide spectrum of functions: from apartment to concert hall, from flagship store to city park. The focus is on the works of the three architects Frank O. Gehry, Jean Nouvel and Wang Shu. This is expanded by the works of other practices such as BIG, Zaha Hadid, Herzog & de Meuron, Toyo Ito and SANAA. This publication presents a compendium that documents color schemes in architecture in the context of very different aesthetic approaches. The large-format photographs by Iwan Baan, Christian Richters, Roland Halbe and Philippe Ruault fascinate with their clarity and presence.

For decades, anyone who cared about product design looked to the Braun label when choosing their appliances, radios, and other consumer items. Dieter Rams, the guiding force behind the Braun look, breaks down his design principles and processes in this elegant new paperback edition. Enumerating each of his ten principles such as good design is innovative; good design is aesthetic; good design is useful, etc., this book presents one hundred items that embody these guidelines. Readers will find items that are familiar such as the ubiquitous coffee grinder but also those that are more unusual such as shelving systems and cigarette lighters. A fascinating essay places Dieter Rams in the context of modern design, from Bauhaus to Philip Johnson. Archival materials include photos of Rams' design team and excerpts from his publications and speeches.