Alexander von Vegesack Knihy

The collection of the Vitra Design Museum in Weil am Rhein, Germany, comprises numerous objects and is one of the most significant of its kind. Grouped according to the main themes of technology, construction, reduction, organic design, decoration and furniture programs, the most important collection items--spanning 150 years of furniture design--are presented in this volume in great chairs and armchairs, chaise longues and stools, tables and desks, landscaped interiors and shelves. Copies of the original documents and detailed texts reveal the special features of each design. 100 Masterpieces from the Vitra Design Museum Collection contains a comprehensive bibliography and biographies of the designers, whoinclude Karl Friedrich Schinkel, Marcel Breuer, Eero Saarinen, Charles and Ray Eames, Frank Gehry, Alberto Meda, Philippe Starck, Richard Sapper, Josef Hoffmann, Eileen Gray, Pierre Chareau, Le Corbusier, Jean Prouvé, Gerrit Rietveld, André Bloc, Willy Guhl, Harry Bertoia, George Nelson, Poul Kjaerholm, Mies van der Rohe, Arne Jacobsen, Gio Ponti, Ron Arad, Alvar Aalto, Isamu Noguchi, Carlo Mollino, Sori Yanagi, Verner Panton, Frank Lloyd Wright, Ettore Sottsass, Robert Venturi, Andrea Branzi and many others.

The designer and architect Marcel Breuer (1902-1981) numbers among the most important and prolific designers of the twentieth century. While today he is best known for his furniture, he regarded himself first and foremost as an architect. The tubular steel pieces created by Breuer during his tenure at the Bauhaus such as the Wassily armchair and also the aluminum and molded plywood pieces from the 1930s must be counted among the great classics of modernism. In the thirties, Breuer began a second, highly successful career as an architect. In the postwar era he was one of the most influential und internationally renowned architects of his time. The retrospective produced by the Vitra Design Museum pays tribute to Breuer’s well-known contributions to 20th century design history. Yet it also brings renewed attention to his architectural works which have fallen somewhat into oblivion in the past decades. This catalogue is the first to give proper attention to both areas of Marcel Breuer’s work. “Marcel Breuer – Design and Architecture”, includes essays by several renowned experts on Marcel Breuer, such as Joachim Driller, Isabelle Hyman, Otakar Máčel and Barry Bergdoll. In addition to these and several other essays, the catalogue includes texts by Marcel Breuer and personal accounts by I. M. Pei and Robert F. Gatje, a former partner of Breuer.

Profusely illustrated with color and vintage photographs.

As a key figure in twentieth-century architecture, Le Corbusier had a major influence on the cultural life of his time. The publication “Le Corbusier – The Art of Architecture” presents an overview of his oeuvre, which included not only architectural projects, interior design and furniture but also paintings, textiles, sculptures, drawings and books. Detailed essays of well-known Le Corbusier experts examine outstanding aspects in Le Corbusiers work such as the relation of sculpture and architecture, his work as an interior designer, his fascination with new media and the technical object or his life-long interest in the Orient. A richly illustrated biography is showing the huge creative output of a career of more than 60 years. Based on the latest research results, and on a rich choice of previously unpublished material, this book is a comprehensive introduction to Le Corbusier’s work and influences, but also offers new discoveries for the many people already familiar with the work of this “Architect of the Century”. The publication is accompanying the first major Le Corbusier retrospective in more than 20 years. It includes texts by Stanislaus von Moos, Jean-Louis Cohen, Arthur Rüegg, Beatriz Colomina, Mateo Kries and others.

Over the past century, no means of transportation has been so profoundly developed and transformed as the aeroplane. Within a mere eight decades--since the first regular airline flights in 1919--flying has gone from being the adventurous, exclusive pleasure of a select few to a mass phenomenon. Civilian air travel has not only created its own technical standards, but also produced its own aesthetic: cabin interiors, airport architecture, airline corporate design, flight attendant uniforms, and tableware. With many illustrations and archival materials that have never before been presented to the public, this book is dedicated to this 'airworld' and the designers, architects, graphic artists and fashion designers that created it. Nine richly illustrated essays explore the history of air travel from the perspective of design and architectural history, thus offering a unique source for those interested in design as well as those with a passion for the history of air travel. As Andy Warhol put it: "Airplanes and airports have my favorite kind of food service, my favorite kinds of entertainment, my favorite graphics and colors, the best security checks, the best views, the best employees and the best optimism."

In 1983, the Brazilian designers Fernando and Humberto Campana began to develop furniture made with everyday materials such as cardboard, rope, fabric and wood scraps, plastic tubes and aluminum wire. By the early 1990s their often controversial designs had won champions across the world, especially in the U. S., where they became the first Brazilian designers to exhibit at The Museum of Modern Art in New York. This survey of their work contains illustrated articles by international authors. Maria Helena Estrada, design critic and publisher in Sao Paulo, writes a biographical essay on the brothers; Mathias Schwartz-Clauss provides an interpretation of their work of the past 20 years; Massimo Morozzi, artistic director of Edra, offers an account of the Campanas' collaboration with his company; Adelia Borges, writer, curator and teacher in the field of design, describes current-day popular culture in Brazil; finally, Fernando and Humberto Campana contribute nine collages that play with the documentation of their exhibitions. The catalogue's third section groups all exhibits by concept, reproducing them in full color and providing technical details as well as extended captions.

The miniaturisation and networking of computer processors, along with the digitalisation and wireless transmission of data, are creating new possibilities for domestic environments. This exhibition catalogue presents visionary architectural responses to the implications of these advancements on residential architecture, featuring emerging firms from the USA, Mexico, England, France, Germany, Korea, Japan, and Australia. Curator Susanne Jaschko introduces the designs within the broader context of contemporary architecture trends. Six additional essays explore the impact of new technologies on home life and architecture. Jochen Eisenbrand identifies the origins and current developments of "Intelligent Buildings" and "Intelligent Houses." Sociologist Hartmut Häusermann examines the evolution of modern living, while architectural historian Beatriz Colomina reflects on past visions of future homes. Futurologist Bruce Sterling offers insights into future living from today's perspective, and Dana Hutt presents interviews with renowned architects on "Future Living." Christiane Sauer discusses innovative materials shaping architecture. The catalogue also includes an empirical section with visually appealing data on demographic and technological trends that will influence future living environments, along with a small encyclopaedia detailing key technologies for upcoming architectural advancements.