Pentagram [Hardcover]

Randall Rothenberg (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 1999

Pentagram is an international design consultancy founded in 1972 with offices in New York, London, San Francisco, and Austin, Texas. Pentagram Book Five is the company's fifth monograph, highlighting 50 case studies of its projects from the last five years -- 1993 through 1998 -- across the fields of graphic design, industrial design, and architecture. Pentagram Book Five is both a celebration of the creativity and a testimony to the collaboration of Pentagram's partners, each of whom brings an individual voice to the firm's idea-based design. From the start, Pentagram's partners balked at the common practice of designing in the vacuum of specialization, choosing instead to bring together a broad range of designers, disciplines and backgrounds to collaborate on projects. The combined efforts of these architects, product designers, and graphic designers have landed them coveted work with such diverse clients as the American Institute of Architects, Coca-Cola, Swatch, and Toshiba, who chose Pentagram for the unique perspective this collaboration brings. Edited and introduced by communications journalist Randall Rothenberg, Pentagram Book Five is also a how-to, giving insights to the way Pentagram's partners approach the problems given them by their clients: How to bring new audiences to a struggling theater? How to make computers a natural part of the kitchen? How to sell the Bible to readers of contemporary fiction? How to create a feeling of "heritage" in a manufactured town? Each case study takes the reader through the designers' and clients' thought processes and shows why the project is successful, in terms of both business and design requirements. Pentagram partners represented in the book include: Lorenzo Apicella, James Biber, Michael Bierut, Robert Brunner, Michael Gericke, Kenneth Grange, David Hillman, Kit Hinrichs, Angus Hyland, John McConnell, Justus Oehler, Woody Pirtle, John Rushworth, Paula Scher, Daniel Weil, and Lowell Williams.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This rich stew of 50 case studies completed since 1993 by the prestigious Anglo-American design consultancy partnership continues Pentagram's long-running and highly recommended product portfolio series, which also includes Pentagram: The Work of Five Designers (1972), Living by Design (1978), Ideas on Design (1986), and The Compendium (Phaidon, 1993). Pentagram's publications are standard fare in design, graphic arts, communications, and business libraries. Following an essay about the firm's history, collaborative philosophy, and international influence by advertising journalist Randall Rothenberg (Where the Suckers Moon, LJ 11/15/94), each project is introduced by a two- to four-page overview of its concept-to-product process that quotes clients and designers, followed by a suite of full-page photographs of Pentagram's ingenious solutions. Clients range from multinational corporations to museums and even include a microbrewery and the town of Celebration, FL. Although self-serving, this strikingly designed and favorably priced volume is a necessity for specialized collections.ARussell T. Clement, Univ. of Tennessee Lib., Knoxville
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From the Inside Flap

The design consultancy Pentagram marked its founding in 1972 not with a modest opening announcement but with a book, Pentagram: The Work of Five Designers. Since then, three additional books, Living by Design, Ideas on Design, and The Compendium, have continued the story. Together, they have provided an ongoing portrait of the firm's unusual structure -- a confederation of small teams led by partners from different design disciplines -- and the range of work produced by those teams for clients large and small.

Pentagram Book Five, the fifth in the series, is the latest report on this work in progress. The fifty case histories, all completed between 1993 and 1998, range from a corporate identity for an international airline alliance to packaging for a microbrewery. Each story comes complete with an overview stating the project's objective, an analysis of the design process, the rationale for the design recommendations, and the "moral of the story" -- anecdotal narratives told from the point of view of the designers and clients. Preceding the case histories, an essay by journalist Randall Rothenberg looks at Pentagram behind the scenes. Pentagram Book Five demonstrates that design, more than ever, is a formidable tool for business and a serious instrument for communicating culture in the contemporary world.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 496 pages
• Publisher: Monacelli; 1ST edition (March 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580930034
• ISBN-13: 978-1580930031
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8 x 2.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,082,046 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great Design Firm, but an Average Book, November 27, 2000

By 

Michael Pinto "Anime Fan" (NYC, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pentagram (Hardcover)

Pentagram is one of the best design firms on planet earth, so this book is a must have for a creative professional. BUT the book lacks real inspiration - it's very dry stuff. While the volume has many pretty pictures with "case studies" the book doesn't really tell you a story. The work itself is very good, but you can see that in an awards annual like Graphis. You just get the feeling that they didn't have any fun putting this book together. I judge my design books on how often I run to them for inspiration - and this volume doesn't rate too high. I have an ancient book by the founders of Pentagram (Fletcher, Forbes & Gill) which blows these kids out of the water. So this book is a must have for the reference library, but you may want to wait until it's on sale.

7 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good design at its best, September 16, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Pentagram (Hardcover)

Pentagram...what more do you need to know? It gives amazing insight into the thoughts behind their work in 50 examples. The forward contains a short but very complete description of the history of this powerhouse company of design. A must have book for anyone who studies or loves "good design" of any kind.