Book Reviews
DESIGN THINKING
By Nigel Cross (Berg) £14.99 ISBN: 978-1-84788-636-1
Design thinking is the core creative process for any designer. This book attempts to explain this apparently mysterious ‘design ability’, to get a handle on what makes this almost impossible to explain skill actually function. Focusing on what designers do when
they design, Design Thinking is structured around a series of in-depth case studies of expert designers at work. The range covered reflects the breadth of design, from hardware and software design, to architecture and Formula One. The author is Emeritus Professor of Design Studies at the Open University and so, as you might imagine, the approach taken is academic in tone, and yet it is also a highly accessible read that will doubtless help many designers to better understand – and perhaps also to question – the things that they do in their work life, and why they do them.
MATERIALS INNOVATION & DESIGN By Dimitris Kottas (Links) £55 ISBN: 978-84-92796-77-9
We are in a period of design in which – perhaps now more than ever – materials are everything. Understanding the properties of individual materials, and knowing how to combine them effectively are increasingly the foundation of a successful interiors project. This compendium of innovative materials is particularly timely, featuring over 100 companies that specialise in different areas of the industry. Everything from tiles to stone and from glass to flooring is included. There is some really great stuff here, including air-cleaning and anti-bacterial textiles,
concrete tiles with fiber-optic elements, stunning sound absorbing panels and furniture with thermochromic paint. It is both a product sourcebook and a source of inspiration all at the same time, and will
have plenty of architects and designers itching for the chance to specify some of these clever creations at the earliest opportunity.
Available from
www.ribabookshops.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68