This encyclopedia is the most comprehensive guide available to international product design of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. It includes 350 entries on influential designers and studios and the most important design-led manufacturers worldwide, both past and present, from Frank Lloyd Wright, Raymond Loewy and Philippe Starck to Apple, Ikea and BMW. The products featured range from classic cars, furniture and ceramics to the latest MP3 players. Each entry includes an informative profile, a biography or company history, and a product chronology, and is accompanied by colour photographs.
| ||||||||||||
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Booklist
Written by and for designers, this dictionary of modern design is an important contribution to the field. Just a few reference works that take a comprehensive look at the development of modern design have been published, and among these the two that stand out most notably are The Design Encyclopedia, by New York's Museum of Modern Art (2004), and Design of the Twentieth Century (Taschen, 2001). The present work, with its primary focus on European designers of the twentieth century, is a welcome and timely publication.
More than 300 entries highlight the most influential architects and designers of the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries--among them, Charles and Ray Eames, Noguchi, and Le Corbusier. Also here are studios like Ziba, whose ergonomic "natural keyboard" model for Microsoft put an end to the rigid design of computer keyboards, and manufacturers such as Apple, IBM, Kodak, and Sony. Although not seeking to be all-encompassing (the fashion industry is excluded), the volume showcases a diverse range of selected classic and innovative designs ranging from automobiles to everyday household items. Each entry contains an average of six to seven color photographs, for a grand total of 2,800 images. Entry text includes individual or company and product chronologies, a discussion essay, and, often, a Web site citation.
A Dictionary of Modern Design (Oxford, 2005) has many more entries and covers a greater span of time (from the middle of the nineteenth century to 2004) but contains few illustrations. The A-Z of Modern Design successfully combines visual appeal with crisp writing to produce a helpful reference source for anyone interested in modern design. On the minus side are the absence of indexing and bibliographies or reading lists. Highly recommended for academic and large public library reference collections. Diana Kirby
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
From the Publisher
350 entries, profusely illustrated with over 2800 colour photographs
A–Z format, extensive cross-referencing and simple colour-coded system of entries ensure quick access to information
Includes useful biographies of designers, company histories and chronological listings of products
An essential reference for students and anyone interested in modern design
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Browsing Fun,
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: The A-Z of Modern Design (Paperback)
If you like modern design, you should like this book. It consists of around 300 one- or two-page articles, each one focusing on either an individual designer or on a design studio or manufacturer. They are in alphabetical order by name. There is a few paragraphs of text for each entry and a short history. There are also between five and ten color photos of products for each entry, and these are the highlight of the book. The products include furniture, light fixtures and lamps, cookware, small appliances, cars, etc.
Modern design is often witty and unusual (I didn't know anyone made designer dog kennels) and the wide range of products makes perusing through this book interesting. My only complaint is that sometimes the text mentions a particular item which sounds rather intriguing, but there is no photo of it.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Lots of Great info,
By
This review is from: The A-Z of Modern Design (Paperback)
Great book with lots of information and pictures. Must have for any designer that needs reference on other designers.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
|
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items. |
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
