Embracing Natural Design


Book Description

Stephanie Kienle Gonzalez has made her name as a designer of furnishings and interiors in warm climates. Her first book showcases far-flung stylish homes, replete with indoor and outdoor spaces that blend artisanal craftmanship with a fresh naturalistic design approach. Through beautifully photographed residences, which have an exquisite layering of classic and modern furnishings, Stephanie Kienle Gonzalez discusses how to bring sustainable elements into your living space. She employs organic forms, stone and wood pieces, and natural weaves with texture, such as seagrass, caning, bamboo, and rattan. For her urban dwelling she adds tropical greenery and flowers to enliven the interiors, and her eco-friendly family lodge, immersed in the bush wilderness, is surrounded by lush plantings. International designers and artists who have inspired her are also profiled—from sustainable architect Elora Hardy to designers India Hicks, Nate Berkus, and Kenneth Cobonpue. Full of design and entertaining ideas, Embracing Natural Design is for those who are interested in achieving an environmentally conscious lifestyle.




Design by Nature


Book Description

The first design book that translates elements of nature--including flora, water, and wood--into elements of decor for beautiful, lived-in, bohemian interiors, from acclaimed designer and tastemaker Erica Tanov. Inspired by nature's colors, textures, and patterns, design icon Erica Tanov uses her passion for textiles to create beautiful, timeless interiors that connect us to the natural world. Now, in her first book, Design by Nature, Tanov teaches you how to train your eye to the beauty of the natural world, and then bring the outdoors in—incorporating patterns and motifs from nature, as well as actual organic elements, into simple ideas for everyday decorating and design. Design by Nature contains new and imaginative decorating ideas for an organic and bohemian style that mixes and layers rugs, pillows, throws, and drapery, and incorporates unique patterns and fabrics such as shibori, ikat, and jamdani, all stunningly photographed by renowned photographer Ngoc Minh Ngo. With topics ranging from embracing imperfection in your home, to seeking out flea markets, to displaying your collections, Design by Nature takes an enduring and intuitive approach to design that transcends fleeting trends and encourages you to find your own personal style, source of creativity, and connection to the natural world. You don't need to travel to distant locales to find beauty; it's all around us, from the crackle of fallen leaves to the jagged bark of a tree.




The Shape of Green


Book Description

Does going green change the face of design or only its content? The first book to outline principles for the aesthetics of sustainable design, The Shape of Green argues that beauty is inherent to sustainability, for how things look and feel is as important as how they’re made. In addition to examining what makes something attractive or emotionally pleasing, Hosey connects these questions with practical design challenges. Can the shape of a car make it more aerodynamic and more attractive at the same time? Could buildings be constructed of porous materials that simultaneously clean the air and soothe the skin? Can cities become verdant, productive landscapes instead of wastelands of concrete? Drawing from a wealth of scientific research, Hosey demonstrates that form and image can enhance conservation, comfort, and community at every scale of design, from products to buildings to cities. Fully embracing the principles of ecology could revolutionize every aspect of design, in substance and in style. Aesthetic attraction isn’t a superficial concern — it’s an environmental imperative. Beauty could save the planet.




Seen Unseen


Book Description

"The work of Alejandra Cisneros marks a significant departure from the tropical 'Bali-style' villa design popularised in the past two decades and is a refreshing antidote to the anodyne villas invading Bali's centuries-old rice terraces. In Seen.




Data Augmented Design


Book Description

This book offers an essential introduction to a new urban planning and design methodology called Data Augmented Design (DAD) and its evolution and progresses, highlighting data driven methods, urban planning and design applications and related theories. The authors draw on many kinds of data, including big, open, and conventional data, and discuss cutting-edge technologies that illustrate DAD as a future oriented design framework in terms of its focus on multi-data, multi-method, multi-stage and multi-scale sustainable urban planning. In four sections and ten chapters, the book presents case studies to address the core concepts of DAD, the first type of applications of DAD that emerged in redevelopment-oriented planning and design, the second type committed to the planning and design for urban expansion, and the future-oriented applications of DAD to advance sustainable technologies and the future structural form of the built environment. The book is geared towards a broad readership, ranging from researchers and students of urban planning, urban design, urban geography, urban economics, and urban sociology, to practitioners in the areas of urban planning and design.​




Resilient by Design


Book Description

"Resilient by design provides managers with a more complete approach to creating lasting success in a changing world. Rich with examples and case studies, it explains how to connect the external systems, stakeholders, communities, infrastructure, supply chains, and natural resources, to create innovative organisations that survive and prosper." --Publisher description.




A New Garden Ethic


Book Description

In a time of climate change and mass extinction, how we garden matters more than ever: “An outstanding and deeply passionate book.” —Marc Bekoff, author of The Emotional Lives of Animals Plenty of books tell home gardeners and professional landscape designers how to garden sustainably, what plants to use, and what resources to explore. Yet few examine why our urban wildlife gardens matter so much—not just for ourselves, but for the larger human and animal communities. Our landscapes push aside wildlife and in turn diminish our genetically programmed love for wildness. How can we get ourselves back into balance through gardens, to speak life's language and learn from other species? Benjamin Vogt addresses why we need a new garden ethic, and why we urgently need wildness in our daily lives—lives sequestered in buildings surrounded by monocultures of lawn and concrete that significantly harm our physical and mental health. He examines the psychological issues around climate change and mass extinction as a way to understand how we are short-circuiting our response to global crises, especially by not growing native plants in our gardens. Simply put, environmentalism is not political; it's social justice for all species marginalized today and for those facing extinction tomorrow. By thinking deeply and honestly about our built landscapes, we can create a compassionate activism that connects us more profoundly to nature and to one another.




Design with Life


Book Description

Design with Life chronicles the breakthroughs and projects of a nonprofit that is defining resolute new directions in socio-ecological design and other deep-seated intersections of synthetic biology, architecture, and urban systems. In the challenging context of accelerating climate dynamics, the core discipline of architectural design is evolving and embracing new forms of action. New York-based nonprofit Terreform ONE has established a distinctive design tactic that investigates projects through the regenerative use of natural materials, science, and the emergent field of socio-ecological design. This kind of design approach uses actual living matter (not abstracted imitations of nature) to create new functional elements and spaces. These future-based actions are not only grounded in social justice, but are also far-reaching in their application of digital manufacturing and maker culture. Terreform ONE tackles urgent environmental and urban social concerns through the integrated use of living materials and organisms.




Hygge & West Home


Book Description

From the cofounders of the popular design company. “Inside the must-read, the duo takes us inside 20 homes that embody the hygge way of life.” —Architectural Digest Tastemakers Christiana and Aimee of Hygge & West know that the key to making a house into a home is in the decoration—whether that means embracing natural elements, creating cozy spaces, making room for family, or finding your own personal charm in every space. Hygge & West Home offers a look into twenty covetable homes designed to promote feelings of coziness, companionship, and comfort, from an intimate apartment in San Francisco to a log cabin in Wyoming, a family home in Minneapolis, and a colorful oasis in Brooklyn. With page after page of aspirational interiors, engaging interviews with home owners, and tips on creating similar feelings in any space, this eye-catching book explores what makes a house a truly personal space and offers readers the tools and inspiration to make their home their own. “Christiana Coop and Aimee Lagos, creators of Hygge & West designs, know how to make the home a retreat, a soft and charming space that really embraces hygge, the Danish design term for a cozy, sweet environment.” —Unique Homes “A must-have resource if you are interested in design and interiors.” —Coral & Tusk




Novogratz Design Fix


Book Description

Design darlings Cortney and Robert Novogratz tackle a long list of design dilemmas and offer scores of smart tips on how to solve them. Well known to their fans through their several reality TV shows (HGTV and Bravo), various home decor lines (with Amazon, WayFair, and now Home Goods), and their impressive social media following, designers Robert and Cortney Novogratz are beloved for their laid-back, chic, and family-friendly approach to home design. The couple has done it all: with over fifteen years of experience building and decorating houses for themselves and their exacting clients, they have faced every possible design challenge. In this volume, they offer up in-depth advice and tips for a multitude of design and decorating situations using over a dozen projects as examples: how to restore an old home and bring it back to life; how to turn a generic rental into a personality-filled space; how to use bold color to transform your home; how to decorate for small spaces; how to create spaces for kids, from bedrooms to playrooms; how to incorporate art in your home; and how to turn your house into an attractive Airbnb rental, among many other design-dilemma topics.