Notable Design Books of 2013

Our Book Board members–including designers, commentators, and specially invited guest contributors–have chosen these as the most notable design books of 2013. The recommendations are submitted throughout the calendar year.

Also see Notable Books: Reviews, Notable Design Books of 2012 and Notable Design Books of 2011.

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87 books


Experiments with Life Itself	Author González de Canales, Francisco	Publisher Actar	Contributor Weinstein, Norman
Luxurious Minimalism	von der Schulenburg, Fritz	Rizzoli International Publications	Weinstein, Norman
Italian Liberty Style	De Guttry, Irene et al.	24 Ore Cultura	Weinstein, Norman
Architecture of Santiniketan	Das, Samit	Niyogi Books	Weinstein, Norman
D&AD: 50	Stanley, Ron	TASCHEN	Weinstein, Norman
Threads of Silk and Gold	McDermott, Hiroko T. et al.	Ashmolean Museum	Weinstein, Norman
Creative Engineering, Architecture, and Technology	Hammann, Ralph	DOM Publishers	Weinstein, Norman
The Sustainable Fashion Handbook	Black, Sandy	Thames & Hudson	Weinstein, Norman
Kamisaka Sekka	Trinh, Khanh et al.	Prestel Publishing	Weinstein, Norman
Emilio Pucci	Friedman, Vanessa et al.	TASCHEN	Weinstein, Norman
Álvaro Siza: Complete Works 1952–2013	Jodidio, Philip	TASCHEN	Weinstein, Norman
Eileen Gray: Objects and Furniture Design	Espegel, Carmen et al.	Ediciones Polígrafa	Weinstein, Norman
Fashion Design, Referenced	Kennedy, Alicia et al.	Rockport Publishers	Weinstein, Norman
Shiro Kuramata	Sudjic, Deyan et al.	Phaidon Press	Weinstein, Norman
Hippie Chic	Whitley, Lauren	MFA Publications	Weinstein, Norman
Carlo Scarpa: Venini, 1932–1947	Barovier, Marino	Rizzoli International Publications	Weinstein, Norman
The Most Beautiful Opera Houses in the World	de Laubier, Guillaume et al.	Abrams	Weinstein, Norman
Moroccan Carpets and Modern Art	Adam, Jürgen et al.	ARNOLDSCHE Art Publishers	Weinstein, Norman
Staircases	Tusquets Blanca, Oscar	The Vendome Press	Weinstein, Norman
Hello World	Rawsthorn, Alice	Hamish Hamilton	Walker, Alissa
Interviewing Users	Portigal, Steve	Rosenfeld Media	Walker, Alissa
Everything Loose Will Land	Lavin, Sylvia et al.	Verlag für moderne Kunst Nürnberg	Walker, Alissa
Never Built Los Angeles	Lubell, Sam et al.	Metropolis Books	Walker, Alissa
Albert Speer	Krier, Léon et al.	The Monacelli Press	Rybczynski, Witold
The Metropolitan Revolution	Katz, Bruce et al.	Brookings Institution Press	Rybczynski, Witold
The Houses of Louis Kahn	Marcus, George H. et al.	Yale University Press	Rybczynski, Witold
Paradise Planned	Stern, Robert A. M. et al.	The Monacelli Press	Rybczynski, Witold
Irma Boom: The Architecture of the Book	Boom, Irma et al.	Lecturis	Popova, Maria
The Afterlife of Emerson Tang	Champa, Paula	Houghton Mifflin	Patton, Phil
Various Small Books: Referencing Various Small Books of Ed Ruscha	Brouws, Jeff et al.	The MIT Press	Patton, Phil
Design Forward	Esslinger, Hartmut	ARNOLDSCHE Art Publishers	Patton, Phil
Handbook of California Design, 1930-1965	Tigerman, Bobbye	The MIT Press	Patton, Phil
A New Sculpturalism	Mount, Christopher et al.	Rizzoli International Publications	Patton, Phil
Overdrive: L.A. Constructs the Future, 1940-1990	Wit, Wim de et al.	Getty Research Institute	Patton, Phil
Swiss Made	Breiding, R. James	Profile Books	Patton, Phil
Visions of Seaside	Thadani, Dhiru A. et al.	Rizzoli International Publications	Patton, Phil
How Architecture Works	Rybczynski, Witold	Farrar, Straus and Giroux	Patton, Phil
City of Ambition	Williams, Mason B.	W. W. Norton	Patton, Phil
Creative Confidence	Kelley, Tom et al.	Crown	Patton, Phil
It’s Modern: The Eye and Visual Influence of Alexander Liberman	Churchward, Charles	Rizzoli International Publications	Patton, Phil
Out There	Brito, Maria Gabriela	Pointed Leaf Press	Murg, Stephanie
The Design Book: 1000 New Designs for the Home and Where to Find Them	Hudson, Jennifer	Laurence King Publishing	Murg, Stephanie
Dekho	Codesign, et al.	Codesign	Lupton, Ellen
Hall of Femmes: Lella Vignelli	Bouabana, Samira et al.	Hall of Femmes/Oyster Press	Lupton, Ellen
Hall of Femmes: Tomoko Miho	Bouabana, Samira et al.	Hall of Femmes/Oyster Press	Lupton, Ellen
Multiple Signatures	Rock, Michael	Rizzoli International Publications	Lupton, Ellen
Synesthetic Design	Haverkamp, Michael	Birkhäuser	Lupton, Ellen
Tom Dixon: Dixonary	Dixon, Tom	Violette Editions	Lupton, Ellen
Go: A Kidd’s Guide to Graphic Design	Kidd, Chip	Workman	Lupton, Ellen
Type Only	Sinclair, Mark et al.	Unit Editions	Lupton, Ellen
Eva Zeisel: Life, Design, and Beauty	Kirkham, Pat et al.	Chronicle Books	Lupton, Ellen
Shadow Type	Heller, Steven et al.	Princeton Architectural Press	Lupton, Ellen
The Pinecone	Uglow, Jenny	Farrar, Straus and Giroux	Lamster, Mark
James Stirling: Revisionary Modernist	Lawrence, Amanda Reeser	Yale University Press	Lamster, Mark
Henri Labrouste	Bélier, Corinne et al.	The Museum of Modern Art	Lamster, Mark
Building Seagram	Lambert, Phyllis et al.	Yale University Press	Lamster, Mark
A Country of Cities	Chakrabarti, Vishaan	Metropolis Books	Lamster, Mark
Le Corbusier: An Atlas of Modern Landscapes	Cohen, Jean-Louis et al.	The Museum of Modern Art	Lamster, Mark
All the Buildings in New York *That I’ve Drawn So Far	Hancock, James Gulliver	Rizzoli International Publications	Hill, John
Diller Scofidio + Renfro: Architecture after Images	Dimendberg, Edward	The University of Chicago Press	Hill, John
Encounters 2	Pallasmaa, Juhani et al.	Rakennustieto	Hill, John
Architectural Guide Japan	Bognar, Botond	DOM Publishers	Hill, John
The Light Pavilion	Kumpusch, Christoph a.	Lars Müller Publishers	Hill, John
Theater of Architecture	Hardy, Hugh	Princeton Architectural Press	Hill, John
James Turrell: A Retrospective	Govan, Michael et al.	Prestel Publishing	Hill, John
Hand-Drying in America	Katchor, Ben	Random House	Hill, John
Culture:City	Wang, Wilfried	Lars Müller Publishers	Hill, John
The Images of Architects	Olgiati, Valerio	Quart Architektur	Hill, John
MVRDV Buildings	MVRDV, et al.	nai010 Publishers	Hill, John
PIN-UP Interviews	PIN-UP, et al.	powerHouse Books	Hill, John
Cosmos of Light	Plummer, Henry	Indiana University Press	Hill, John
Lina Bo Bardi	Lima, Zeuler Rocha Mello de Almeida et al.	Yale University Press	Hill, John
Wunderkammer	Williams, Tod et al.	Yale University Press	Hill, John
Discovering Architecture	Jodidio, Philip et al.	Rizzoli International Publications	Hill, John
Deventer	Stadler, Matthew et al.	nai010 Publishers	Hill, John
Printer’s Devil	Loxley, Simon et al.	David R. Godine	Heller, Steven
Mario Buatta: Fifty Years of American Interior Decoration	Buatta, Mario et al.	Rizzoli International Publications	Goodman, Wendy
The Mystery of the Hanging Garden of Babylon	Dalley, Stephanie	Oxford University Press	Balmori, Diana
The Invention of Craft	Adamson, Glenn	Bloomsbury	Arshad, Zara
Mapping Manhattan	Cooper, Becky et al.	Abrams	Arieff, Allison
Everything Sings: Maps for a Narrative Atlas	Wood, Denis	Siglio	Arieff, Allison
Architecture on the Carpet	Vale, Brenda et al.	Thames & Hudson	Arieff, Allison
Formica Forever	Lange, Alexandra et al.	Metropolis Books	Arieff, Allison
Graphic Icons	Clifford, John	Peachpit Press	Arieff, Allison
100 Years of Architectural Drawing	Bingham, Neil	Laurence King Publishing	Arieff, Allison
Lolita—The Story of a Cover Girl: Vladimir Nabokov’s Novel in Art and Design	Bertram, John et al.	Print Publishing	Arieff, Allison
The Library	Campbell, James W. P. et al.	The University of Chicago Press	Abercrombie, Stanley

Announcements

Now is Better by Stefan Sagmeister

Now is Better

By Stefan Sagmeister
Publisher: Phaidon Press
Published: October 2023

Combining art, design, history, and quantitative analysis, transforms data sets into stunning artworks that underscore his positive view of human progress, inspiring us to think about the future with much-needed hope.

Order the book.

Design Emergency: Building a Better Future by Alice Rawsthorn and Paola Antonelli

Design Emergency: Building a Better Future

By Alice Rawsthorn and Paola Antonelli
Publisher: Phaidon Press
Published: May 2022

Rawsthorn and Antonelli tell the stories of the remarkable designers, architects, engineers, artists, scientists, and activists who are at the forefront of positive change worldwide. Focusing on four themes—Technology, Society, Communication, and Ecology—the authors present a unique portrait of how our great creative minds are developing new design solutions to the major challenges of our time, while helping us to benefit from advances in science and technology.

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Why Design Matters: Conversations with the World’s Most Creative People by Debbie Millman

Why Design Matters: Conversations with the World's Most Creative People

By Debbie Millman
Publisher: Harper Design
Published: February 22, 2022

Debbie Millman—author, educator, brand consultant, and host of the widely successful and award-winning podcast “Design Matters”—showcases dozens of her most exciting interviews, bringing together insights and reflections from today’s leading creative minds from across diverse fields.

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Milton Glaser: POP by Steven Heller, Mirko Ilić, and Beth Kleber

Milton Glaser: POP

By Steven Heller, Mirko Ilić, and Beth Kleber
Publisher: The Monacelli Press
Published: March 2023

This collection of work from graphci design legend Milton Glaser’s Pop period features hundreds of examples of the designer’s work that have not been seen since their original publication, demonstrating the graphic revolution that transformed design and popular culture.

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Meet Me by the Fountain: An Inside History of the Mall by Alexandra Lange

Meet Me by the Fountain: An Inside History of the Mall

By Alexandra Lange
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Published: June 2022

Chronicles postwar architects’ and merchants’ invention of the shopping mall, revealing how the design of these marketplaces played an integral role in their cultural ascent. Publishers Weekly writes, “Contending that malls answer ‘the basic human need’ of bringing people together, influential design critic Lange advocates for retrofitting abandoned shopping centers into college campuses, senior housing, and ‘ethnocentric marketplaces’ catering to immigrant communities. Lucid and well researched, this is an insightful study of an overlooked and undervalued architectural form.”

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Die Fläche: Design and Lettering of the Vienna Secession, 1902–1911 (Facsimile Edition) by Diane V. Silverthorne, Dan Reynolds, and Megan Brandow-Faller

Die Fläche: Design and Lettering of the Vienna Secession, 1902–1911 (Facsimile Edition)

By Diane V. Silverthorne, Dan Reynolds, and Megan Brandow-Faller
Publisher: Letterform Archives Books
Published: October 2023

This facsimile edition of Die Fläche, recreates every page of the formative design periodical in full color and at original size, accompanied by essays that contextualize the work, highlighting contributions by pathbreaking women, innovative lettering artists, and key practitioners of the new “surface art,” including Rudolf von Larisch, Alfred Roller, and Wiener Werkstätte founders Koloman Moser and Josef Hoffmann.

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