Pleasure: The Architecture and Design of Rockwell Group [Hardcover]

The Rockwell Group (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 23, 2002

Rockwell Group turns dreams into space. From steel and stone, color and light, Rockwell Group creates environments that are at once destinations and a means of transport: to new worlds, new experiences. Rockwell Group has crafted a vital form of vernacular architecture and design, one that crackles with the kinetic energy of the avant-garde, the shimmer of Hollywood, the sensual mystery of a far-off, yet somehow familiar, place. With projects such as the Kodak Theatre, a masterful pairing of technology and spectacle worthy of the Academy Awards; the Mohegan Sun casino, a dazzling scenescape of myth and wonder; and the Children's Hospital at Montefiore, where learning and discovery help advance the healing process; Rockwell Group has garnered accolades for a signature design strategy that seduces, entertains, informs, and inspires. Pleasure is the first book to examine the theaters, hotels, stadiums, restaurants, casinos, and other spaces across the country that have positioned Rockwell Group as one of America's most influential, acclaimed, and popular firms.

Including essays by Kurt Andersen, Paola Antonelli, Arnold Aronson, Raul A. Barreneche, Michael Bierut, Paul Goldberger, Gael Greene, Reed Kroloff, Todd Oldham, Chee Pearlman, Irwin Redlener, M.D., George C. Wolfe, Richard Saul Wurman

Featured projects include: Nobu, Vong, Ruby Foo's, Michael Jordan's The Steak House N.Y.C., Animator's Palate, Chambers, W New York and W Union Square, Children's Hospital at Montefiore, Jersey Gardens, Cirque du Soleil, Kodak Theatre, Coca-Cola Skyfield, Mohegan Sun Casino & Resort

Editorial Reviews

Review

"David Rockwell is the one architect most likely to change your life."--Esquire

"Rockwell...is the nation's leading practitioner of what is sometimes called 'entertainment architecture,' a discipline that breaks down the barriers between 'design' and narrative arts such as filmmaking."--Newsweek

"Mr. Rockwell's work embodies the current convergence of technology, entertainment, and design."--New York Times

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Universe (November 23, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 078930760X
• ISBN-13: 978-0789307606
• Product Dimensions: 12.8 x 11.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,250,169 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars the kodak theater is kitsch, rockwell a symptom of design decline, August 24, 2008

By 

trastevere "trastevere" (rome, italy) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pleasure: The Architecture and Design of Rockwell Group (Hardcover)

rockwell's kodak theater is an embarrassment, a frilly forum for the lowest common denominator to celebrate its shallowness. what could be tackier than the entrance hallway with the ruby kitsch staircase? america's great theater age peaked in the radio city music hall. here is grand design linked to a vision both reasoned and romantic. the kodak theater-- if remembered at all-- will be seen as a monument to america dumbing down.

for those who've seen it only on tv: it looks a lot worse in the "flesh." on the plus side: it has lots of flashy technology and has good sight lines.