Customer Reviews

Karim Rashid: I Want to Change the World

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

It has been interesting talking to my friends in the design industry about this book, they all seem have an opinion about it. Some love it, some hate it - what I enjoy is their strong reactions to the work.
So much "design" these days is the work of lost designers, mindlessly chasing their versions of "the iMac" or the "OXO Good grip" or the "Audi T.T." . Rashid is one of those few designers that manage to transcend the constant bleating by "clients" to provide designs that "stimulate consumer demand" and "lower production costs".
Visionary, experimental design is what Rashid's work is all about. To me, his work is about the re-interpretation of the consumer ethic in line with the emerging cultural and psychological effects of globalization. It IS still about the perpetuation of the system of consumption, but his objects are somehow transformed phenomenologically and semiotically, their referent being the culture of "now".
Critics like to disparage Rashid's work for being derivative and flashy - what IS interesting is his commitment to designing objects that everyone can afford
The book is crammed full of pictures detailing numerous projects over the last 10 or so years. Much of this work is extraordinary, especially the inclusion of some of the designer's original sketches, which give interesting glimpses in to the process of creation. The essays by Rashid and an diverse collection of associates makes for further insight into how highly regarded this artist/ designer is in the creative industries. Buy this book if you are interested in the state of contemporary consumer culture. Don't buy this book if you are a designer working in a cubical of a giant multinational consumer products company, you'll only feel depressed and unappreciated and trapped in a beige nightmare....

hmmm,
most of the work in this book is non-sensical proposals for big name companies, like Rashid wants to be a high flying designer, but can't quite design the mass-appeal product. Designing a blobject MD player for Sony without buttons is all well and good in 3D studio Max, but what happens when it comes to usability testing and manufacture...

I don't like his work, it looks like a university product design portfolio, the text is unreadable at odd angles, and he treats the reader with patronising pseudo-sociological [person].

I want to change the world sounds noble enough but with the fluff in between these covers, this "world changer" has some time, if ever, to go until he can lay any claim to this. Karims fellow designers should be outraged by his presentation of their industry as being so fickle, tranparent and thin. A real shame given the power that products have in our lives and to our cultures. Do not buy this book.

Saw this book at MoMA. This guy is all about marketing himself. There are probably hundreds, if not thousands of better designers who should get the recognition he is getting. He is going to change the world by making affordable objects, such as an i-Book look-a-like platic carrying case ( will anyone be carrying ths arround? ) for this book to sell it at $100. If you are really interested in design, do a little browsing or research, and you'll find there're tons of better, and even prettier books. And those are cheaper, too.

This is an excellent overview of the creative imagination of one of the leading current modern designers. Karim Rashid apply his elegant and simple straight and curved lines to create beautiful, functional and futurestic furniture, interiors and objects, including those of everyday life. The heavily illustrated book conveys well Rashid's approach to design and creativity, with the objective of making his creations accessable to the masses. I highly recommend this book.

I am a very passionate designer and have been for a long time. Owning a large collection of design books helps me succeed. Karim Rashid's book is in fact very fascinating, his ideas are exceptionally motivating and attention-grabbing. Although there are many designers out there in the word, Rashid's designs are one of those worthy of note, this book is exceedingly superior as it provides glimpses of sketches by Rashid himself as well as many pleasant photographs.

This is definitely worth buying!

A. S.

Not only should you not buy this book you shouldnt even open it.Karim Rashid deserves great credit for his ability to fool corporations and college freshmen into buying into his vision of a hot pink world but as far as design goes, he is a joke, his "look" was over in 1995 six months after it started. Anyone with a 3d modeling program on there home computer could produce this work. Take a shape, close your eyes, punch some keys on your computer, color it purple, call it a vase,lamp,chair,whatever and voila the Karim Rashid formula. The entire book almost is made not of photos but of computer generated images, this stuff doesnt even exist(thank God). He needs to go back to Canada or Egypt, repurchase the 40,000 records he supposidly "threw in the trash" and pick up his gig as the DJ he really is and leave the designing to the designers. Shame on the ignorant people out there who cant see the Emperor is naked.

i bought this book since i had heard a lot about karim rashid but didnt really know any of his work. after getting this book i realized i had seen a lot of his work byut hadnt realized it was desgined by him.
the book is very good, nice colors, clean layout, and great designs.

it is one of the greatest books i have ever seen and read.
it includes many spectacular designs. i'm very happy to own it.

This is perfect for design addicts who love to be on the cutting edge. So glad Rashid finally published his vision.