12 design and architecture books to get excited about in 2022
If “read more” is one of your New Year’s resolutions, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve put together a list of 12 books we’re looking forward to in the next few months. Topics run the gamut from the making of videogames to an illustrated eulogy for 20th-century movie theaters. Regardless of what you’re in the mood for, there’s something here for academics and design enthusiasts alike. Happy New Year – and happy reading.
The Women Who Changed Architecture
This book sets the record straight on the transformative impact women have had on architecture. With in-depth profiles and images of over 100 women in architecture–from Lilly Reich, the rarely credited architect and longtime partner of Mies van der Rohe, to Jeanne Gang, a Chicago-based architect known for her sustainable practice and adventurous designs – the book chronicles the challenges and triumphs of female architects, from the 19th century until today. It also comes with introductions and a foreword by two architecture powerhouses: Amale Andraos and Beverly Willis. $50; out in March
Why Design Matters
Debbie Millman started the first design podcast in 2005. In the intervening 16 years, Design Matters has seen a who’s who of creative minds sharing a recording studio with Millman. This illustrated anthology kicks off with an uplifting introduction by Roxane Gay (who’s also married to Millman), and features over 80 of Millman’s most engaging, timeless interviews with people like Marina Abramovic, Milton Glaser, and Thelma Golden. $60; out in February
Yves Saint Laurent Museum Marrakech
In 2017, a museum devoted to legendary fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent opened in Marrakech, Morocco. In January 2022, a book dedicated to the creation of the museum will be published by Phaidon. Saint Laurent’s love affair with Marrakech has been widely documented (he and his partner, Pierre Bergé even bought a house there in 1966). Filled with the gorgeous sandstone hues Marrakech is known for, this book is as much a tribute to the city as it is to the fashion giant, and it will take you behind the scenes of a creative collaboration where architecture and design meet fashion. $49.95; out in January
Design Emergency
What began as an Instagram Live series exploring design’s role in building a better future has now evolved into a must-have book. Penned by Alice Rawsthorn and Paola Antonelli, two of the world’s most influential design figures, the book spans four themes – Technology, Society, Communication, and Ecology. Design Emergency highlights a host of designers, architects, engineers, artists, scientists, and activists, and paints a rich, optimistic portrait of the creative minds who are driving us forward. $29.95; out in April
Movie Theaters
The United States is dotted with decaying movie theaters that were once grandiose movie palaces. Since 2005, the photographic duo Yves Marchand and Romain Meffre have been crisscrossing the country to capture these 20th-century relics and their crumbling interiors using a large-format camera. This gorgeously illustrated eulogy feels particularly poignant after the pandemic dealt a blow to the big screen. $80; out in January
Louis I Kahn: Revised and Expanded Edition
Louis Kahn was one of the greatest architects of the 20th century, known for his monumental and brutalist style. This illustrated overview is an updated and redesigned version of Robert McMarter’s critically acclaimed 2005 monograph. It features both built and unbuilt projects, including the Salk Institute and some of Kahn’s masterpieces in India and Bangladesh, plus New York City’s Four Freedoms Park, realized 40 years after his death from drawings that were found in Kahn’s briefcase the day he died. $150; out in February
Jens Risom, A Seat at the Table
Danish-American furniture designer Jens Risom was one of the first designers to introduce Scandinavian design to the United States. This first-ever monograph takes readers through his life in Copenhagen, his nascent career in New York, and through his first years at the iconic Knoll Furniture company, where his designs helped establish the company as an early source of modern design. $125; out in January
The Green Imperative
Victor Papanec has been arguing for recyclable materials and thoughtful packaging for decades. A pioneer of sustainable design, the Austrian-born American designer and educator is mostly known for his seminal work, Design for the Real World, but a fresh edition of his other classic, The Green Imperative, is now coming out in February. First published at the end of the 20th century, the book is filled with urgent critiques and advice on how to combat the climate crisis. $16.95; out in February
Reimagining Design
Design is so much more than an add-on. In this book, design savant Kevin Bethune shows the problem-solving side of design and how it can be leveraged to foster innovation. In doing so, he describes his journey as a Black professional through corporate America, from a role at Nike, where he designed Air Jordans, to establishing his own design and innovation consultancy practice. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are a common thread in this book, which puts multidisciplinary collaboration at the core of innovation. $24.95; out in March
Making Videogames
How were some of the world’s leading videogames designed? This book portrays the incredible craft of videogame worldbuilding across 12 chapters, each dedicated to a specific game. From blockbusters like Rise of the Tomb Raider to cult breakthrough games like No Man’s Sky, the book features arresting in-game snapshots that will thrill videogame developers and buffs alike. $40; out in April
Brutalism Reinvented
Brutalist architecture is having a 21st-century moment. Born in the 1950s, the movement once dominated institutional buildings like schools, public housing, and government offices. Now, brutalism is being reinterpreted for luxury apartments, places of worship, and museums. This book examines 50 recent examples, from a monolithic house in Mexico, to a high-rise residential complex in Switzerland reminiscent of a 3D puzzle. $50; out in January
Between Memory and Invention: My Journey in Architecture
Part autobiography, part institutional history, this book by postmodern architect, historian, and educator Robert A.M. Stern chronicles half a century of architectural practice in New York and beyond. Supported by a mix of images drawn from Stern’s own archive, this revealing memoir also reads like a candid review of architecture today. $60; out in February
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