Philip Freelon’s Book List
The majority of the books in my library are monographs and other volumes that document built and unbuilt work through photographs and written analysis/critique. I have not included these important and valued books on my list but have instead focused on the titles that have inspired me and broadened my understanding of the world—past, present, and future. My list includes books on design in general, architecture, photography, science, and science fiction. My interests, though varied, are centered on imagining, understanding, and interpreting environments.
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A call to arms for all, especially design professionals.
Herbert creates a compelling world complete with physical habitat, socio-economic structure, religious rituals, sustainability and natural resource issues, and human drama of the highest order—all grounded in solid scientific research.
Written by a preeminent African American historian and family friend, this was the first scholarly publication that detailed the struggles and triumphs of black Americans.
A sci-fi classic with an intriguing take on the self-awareness of children and how destiny plays into one’s future.
A refreshing and fascinating departure from the standard Western theories on form, space, and order.
My introduction to design at the urban scale. A must-read for city and urban planners. The simple diagrams in the margins illustrate the concepts beautifully.
A trusted reference of mine when I was a student and still relevant 30 years after publication. The pencil drawings are at once impeccable and soulful.
The ultimate “Big Picture.” The theoretical physics that underpins our universe—in layman’s terms.
Intended for children, Macaulay’s first few books (including Cathedral and Castle) were inspiring to me as a lifelong student of architecture. And I greatly admire his exquisite pen-and-ink drawings.
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.
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.
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.”
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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