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Florence Knoll (19172019) was a leading force of modern design. She worked from 1945 to 1965 at Knoll Associates, first as business partner with her husband Hans Knoll, later as president after his death, and, finally, as design director. Her commissions became hallmarks of the modern era, including the Barcelona Chair by Mies van der Rohe, the Diamond Chair by Harry Bertoia, and the Platner Collection by Warren Platner. She created classics like the Parallel Bar Collection, still in production today.Knoll invented the visual language of the modern office through her groundbreaking interiors and the creation of the acclaimed "e;Knoll look,"e; which remains a standard for interior design today. She reinvigorated the International Style through humanizing textiles, lighting, and accessories. Although Knoll's motto was "e;no compromise, ever,"e; as a woman in a white, upper-middle-class, male-dominated environment, she often had to make accommodations to gain respect from her colleagues, clients, and collaborators. No Compromise looks at Knoll's extraordinary career in close-up, from her student days to her professional accomplishments.
Starting with Ralph Waldo Emerson's essay "Nature," Visualizing Nature brings together contemporary visionaries to share deeply personal essays on nature, ecology, sustainability, climate change, philosophy, and more. Compiled by editor and poet Stuart Kestenbaum, the contributors represent a wide range of backgrounds and experiences, each honoring nature's power to heal, inspire, guide, amaze, and strengthen.Activist Maulian Dana of the Penobscot Nation writes on the intertwining relationship of motherhood and Mother Earth. Biology professor David Haskell tells the story of the resilient Bristlecone pine trees, living to be as old as 2,100 years. Iranian scholar Alireza Taghdarreh speaks to her experience of translating Emerson's "Nature" into Farsi. A previously unpublished 1962 speech by Rachel Carson complements the collection of more than twenty essays, each inviting the reader into a quiet space of reflection with the opportunity to think deeply about how they relate to the natural world.
In The Healing Garden, Deb Soule, founder of Avena Botanicals, offers an inspiring guide to herb gardening and crafting herbal remedies that promote wellness of spirit and body. Soule combines her passion for plants gardens, and healing with her extensive experience working with medicinal herbs, flowers, roots, and berries. Her practical advice addresses each aspect of fostering a garden filled with helpful, healing plants: biodynamic gardening practices; gathering plants and setting up a drying room; and creating herbal teas, decoctions, tinctures, syrups, tonics, vinegars, essences, and more. A chapter outlining eighteen medicinal herbs provides detailed information on their cultivation and healing properties. Molly Haley''s colorful photography showcases Avena Botanicals'' lush herb gardens in all seasons. The Healing Garden is grounded in respect for the interconnectedness of all living beings and is an eloquent plea for spiritual awareness and the wholeness of individuals, communities, and our planet.
"e;Soules's excellent book makes sense of the capitalist forces we all feel but cannot always name... Icebergs, Zombies, and the Ultra Thin arms architects and the general public with an essential understanding of how capitalism makes property. Required reading for those who think tomorrow can be different from today."e; Jack Self, coeditor of Real Estates: Life Without DebtIn Icebergs, Zombies, and the Ultra Thin, Matthew Soules issues an indictment of how finance capitalism dramatically alters not only architectural forms but also the very nature of our cities and societies. We rarely consider architecture to be an important factor in contemporary economic and political debates, yet sparsely occupied ultra-thin "e;pencil towers"e; develop in our cities, functioning as speculative wealth storage for the superrich, and cavernous "e;iceberg"e; homes extend architectural assets many stories below street level. Meanwhile, communities around the globe are blighted by zombie and ghost urbanism, marked by unoccupied neighborhoods and abandoned housing developments.Learn how the use of architecture as an investment tool has accelerated in recent years, heightening inequality and contributing to worldwide financial instability:*; See how investment imperatives shape what and how we build, changing the very structure of our communities*; Delve into high-profile projects, like the luxury apartments of architect Rafael Violy's 432 Park Avenue*; Understand the convergence of technology, finance, and spirituality, which together are configuring the financialized walls within which we eat, sleep, and workIncludes dozens of photos and drawings of architectural phenomena that have changed the way we live. Essential reading for anyone interested in architecture, design, economics, and understanding the way our world is formed.
With their colourful feathers, beautiful songs, power of flight, and dinosaur ancestry, birds are truly astonishing creatures. But did you know that the huge variety of known species includes daring acrobats, inconsiderate noisemakers, ruthless hunters, wonderful swimmers, and blazing runners? Or that the tiniest bird in the world measures just two inches long? Beautifully illustrated by Olivia Cosneau, Birds of the World introduces aspiring ornithologists to these and other fun facts through a range of colouring activities, removable stickers, and a short quiz. In the process, children learn about the rich variety of birds living in our world, including nightingales, swallows, hummingbirds, pelicans, penguins, parrots, toucans, and flamingos, among others.
"Any landscape architect worth their soil should pick up The Architecture of Trees, an all-encompassing atlas of all things tree-related."—The Architect's NewspaperA 2019 Oprah's Favorite Things PickA gorgeous, large format volume that shows each hand-drawn illustration in stunning detail. The Architecture of Trees is the result of over twenty years of dedicated study by landscape architects Cesare Leonardi and Franca Stagi. This new edition preserves the original magnificent illustrations and text, translated into English for the first time.Features more than 550 exquisite quill-pen drawings of trees. Each of the 212 tree species are drawn to a scale of 1:100, with and without foliage. Complete with tables of seasonal color variation and projections of shadows cast during the hours of daylight and season by season, no other tree book contains such detailed and scientific drawings.A legendary and unsurpassed botanical masterwork. Considered a standard in many landscape architecture firms, the drawings, essays, and detailed charts are essential for large scale landscaping projects and a helpful tool for backyard renovations. Landscape designers will think in new ways about the effect of seasons and the time of day on trees, and anyone interested in nature and trees will be captivated by the stunning illustrations."This book could be considered the Bible for tree lovers."—Western Art & ArchitectureAn incredible book for anyone interested in trees:• An oversized, captivating coffee table book for lovers of art and nature illustrations• A helpful tree identification book with accurate drawings of trees and detailed looks at branches, leaves, and fruit• A reference for students of landscape architecture, botany, dendrology, architecture, and illustration
Milan is front and center in this guide to the thriving Italian metropolis that is historic, modern, playful, and distinguished all at once. New visitors and longtime inhabitants alike will revel in Carlo Stangäs colorful, playful drawings. Passages told from the city¿s perspective animate Milan¿s extraordinary monuments and innovative buildings, as well as the delightful details of everyday Italian life in the city. New scenes enhance this new edition, including contemporary architecture found in Porto Volta, the art center Pirelli HangarBicocca, and hidden gems like the stationery store Fratelli Bonvini.
Elegant and magnificent, conservatories reveal fascinating social, cultural, botanical, and engineering advances as they have evolved across history. First appearing in the eighteenth century as simple structures designed to protect fruit trees and other delicate plants from harsh European winters, conservatories became grand glass houses that spread across the European continent, to the Americas, and ultimately around the world.Through evocative archival and contemporary photographs, drawings of landmark structures, and graceful, accessible text, The Conservatory celebrates the patrons and designers who advanced the technology and architectural majesty of these light-filled structures. The importance of conservatories continues to grow with efforts to conserve phenomenal plants and their environments.
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