2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastic Addition to any "Green" Library!, March 15, 2010
This review is from: Green Design: Creative Sustainable Designs for the Twenty-First Century (Paperback)
This book is fantastic! It has a great layout and a great mix of items! There are chapters on Lighting, Homeware, Furniture, Textiles & Materials, Products, Transportation, Interiors and Architecture. It has a great selection of items - Including items currently available for purchase, futuristic concepts, and one-of-a-kind designs. Each item is given its own mini-bio, including the designers and date of design. Fairs gives you an in-depth look at each design and its designer, and how each product is beneficial. Fairs has a great way of giving you all the information without getting too technical.
Marcus Fairs gives you a great opening to each section, really outlining the current struggles that area is enduring and what current designers are doing to overcome them. In the "Homeware" introduction, Fairs states "The emergence of ethical business models in the design industry is one of the most interesting trends of recent years, as designers and manufacturers seek ways to help disadvantaged communities around the world while still producing profitable product lines. Mirroring the rise of the fair-trade movement, which aims to give small-scale food producers in the developing world a better deal, designers are starting to think carefully about the ethical implications of the way their products are manufactured."
This book was bought as a gift for the two most important men in my life - My husband and my big brother! They currently co-own an architectural design firm in Dallas, TX. I am always on the search for new books for their library!
My brother is a LEED accredited architectural designer. He is very eco-conscious in how he lives his daily life. He drives a car that runs on bio-diesel; he never drinks bottled water, instead he uses a reusable water bottle; and is currently in the process of getting solar panels for his home. He was impressed with the range of products Fairs covers in this book, especially the items that are made from old or recycled materials - From Pallet Furniture (literally furniture made from old wooden pallets) to Other People's Rubbish (a tourist gift shop in South Africa that sells recycled souvenirs, some made from used aluminum cans).
My husband is an architectural designer of the modern-style variety. He likes new and funky ideas, modern-twists on old designs, and above all - an appreciation for a uniquely designed modern house. He was impressed with this book as well. He loved the architectural section, which has an incredible selection - From the Micro-Compact house to the World Mammoth and Permafrost Museum.
There are also an array of items listed that benefit people not only in our own neighborhoods, but benefit people all over the world! Namely projects like the Portable Light Project, Lifestraw, and the 10 x 10 Housing Project. Sometimes we tend to forget the struggles other people endure - including the lack of things we take for granted, especially clean water! Fairs gives you a great glimpse into the products being made to help save and enrich the lives of people all around the world.
Overall, this book is an amazing read for any interested in the "Green" movement. It is also a great addition to any library, which it already is in my brother and my husband's office!
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Showcasing Green Creativity, March 23, 2010
This review is from: Green Design: Creative Sustainable Designs for the Twenty-First Century (Paperback)
This book is a beautifully illustrated collection of diverse, environmentally conscious projects within eight areas of innovation: lighting, homeware, furniture, textiles and materials, products, transportation, interiors and architecture. High-tech and low-tech, serious and whimsical, reused materials or energy conserving, each offers a glimpse into the creative cauldron that is arising in response to the overload of human-induced degradation. The author also gives comprehensive insight into the artist, the materials or methods used, and often an overview or background to the relevant industry, which is rich and informative. I personally love books like this that showcase the best of human ingenuity and have only one criticism: the font size is so small (and I obviously need stronger glasses--but it IS small), that I had to really struggle to read it.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
5.0 out of 5 stars
A choice pick for those who are truly dedicated in reducing their impact on the planet, May 16, 2010
This review is from: Green Design: Creative Sustainable Designs for the Twenty-First Century (Paperback)
Helping the environment can be done in many ways, some that aren't remotely obvious. "Green Design: Creative Sustainable Designs for the Twenty-First Century" is a guide to making one's home more helpfully green for the world around it. From lighting to dishes, to technology to clothing, there are many things around one's home which can be improved and made greener. "Green Design" is a choice pick for those who are truly dedicated in reducing their impact on the planet.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
