Reddit mentions: The best individual architects & firms books

You'd be very interested in the work of Donald H. Ruggles.

He has a new book out entitled: "Beauty, Neuroscience, and Architecture: Timeless Patterns and Their Impact on Our Well-Being"

>For centuries, men and women have sought to express beauty in architecture and art. But, it is only recently that neuroscience has helped determine how and why beauty plays such an important role in our lives.

>Founded on a series of lectures architect Donald H. Ruggles has given over the past ten years, Beauty, Neuroscience and Architecture: Timeless Patterns and Their Impact on Our Well-Being postulates that beauty can and does make a vital difference in our lives, including improving many aspects of our health. In this volume, Ruggles suggests that a new, urgent effort is needed to refocus the direction of architecture and art to include the quality of beauty as a fundamental, overarching theme in two of humanity’s most important fields of endeavor—the built and artistic environments.

>“Since the beginning of time,” Ruggles notes, people have “looked for certain patterns and a balance of space. . . . There is a deep-seated need for beauty and when that need is filled, a sense of safety and comfort is created.” In Beauty, Neuroscience and Architecture Ruggles draws on more than fifty years of architectural experience to delve into the forces behind the transformative emotion of beauty. Focusing on new discoveries in the science of the mind and neuroscience, as well as recent developments in ­fractal geometry theory, microbiology, and psychology, Ruggles leads the reader on a journey through architectural and art history to discover the importance of patterns in our perception of beauty—and its emotional content.

Also, check out this article: Neuroscience and Preservation: Measuring the Healing Properties of Places [Lots of good references within]

Of course the work of Dr. Richard Jackson must be included in such a list dealing with health and wellbeing.

As an architecture student who asked himself this same question not so long ago I'd say:

• Modern Architecture: A Critical History by Kenneth Frampton.
  The most introductory, simple to understand, first book you should pick up when ready to jump into some actual architecture. This is the book that you need to read even before architecture school, for your entrance test and just because.
  
  
• Architecture of the City by Aldo Rossi.
  This one is also an easy read that will make you realise how important architecture is for us as human beings, as a society, as a city, as a community, as people... how architecture is not just a free standing building by some "starchitect" in a magazine but a part of something bigger. Great read and one of my favourites.
  
  
• Towards a new architecture by Le Corbusier.
  Love him or hate him Le Corbusier changed the world and studying and understanding how and why will greatly help you understand architecture today. This book might be a bit philosophical and theoretical but it's written for people to understand, not just architects. A must read I'd say.
  
  
• Genius Loci: Towards a Phenomenology of Architecture by Christian Norberg-Schulz.
  I'd say this is a book you should read to complement and expand on Aldo Rossi's. Genius Loci is the spirit of a place, it's character and distinctive self. Great read.
  
  
• Architecture As Space by Bruno Zevi.
  Great book to understand how Architecture are not just façades and photos but designed spaces and experiences and how we experience them with our senses, the way they make us feel. This book will make you look at architecture from a different perspective, and you will since then experience the world differently.
  
  BONUS:
  
  
• 101 Things I Learned in Architecture School by Matthew Frederick. Simple and to the point, might not seem like much and honestly don't take it too seriously but it's nice to keep around and going through it will remind you of things that sometimes we tend to forget.
  
  Hope this helps and gets you started on a good path. :) Have a nice day.

> The value of a book is in the words within it... But to value an edition of a book merely because it is the first edition of that work published? Why?

You might as well be asking why people have hobbies in the first place. Collecting is an ancient human mania, and book collecting is one of its oldest incarnations.

If you are using a definition of "value" that leaves you asking questions like this, then it is your definition that is at fault. To take a quote from Phillip Blom in his book To Have and To Hold: for a collector, "money is no object, and objects are everything".

I've been collecting J. G. Ballard novels for about a couple of years (have a look through these to see what I'm talking about). I have some first editions, but some of my favourite copies aren't remotely expensive. This 1974 box set of Ballard's early disaster novellas is just about the coolest thing that I own. They they are really just cheap Penguin paper-back editions of some of Ballard's less brilliant works, but I could go on for quite a while about why I love these editions so much. Have a read of this 4000 word essay on them, which does them better justice than I could do.

There is also a misconception regarding first editions in your question. First editions aren't always more valuable, and, at least, they are not valuable for merely being the first edition. They have a tendency to be collector's items because they are typically quite limited in number, and are often significant as historical objects because they represent a state of affairs prior to the book's, and the author's, later notoriety. However, a later edition with good binding and few copies, and perhaps illustrated by a famous name, will often attract a much higher price.

This is the difference between bibliophilia and mere love of reading or love of knowledge. It is the love of a tactile object; a package of its shape, art-work, typography and the world represented by its text. This is the reason why, for example, one reprint of Concrete Island has become particularly essential to collectors, despite it not being particularly expensive or rare.

I completely acknowledge that collecting is obsessive and irrational, but that doesn't stop me from having enormous respect for people like this guy.

I remember seeing this piece in a random book, and I spent the past few hours digging through my history of what I have checked out at the art library.

It is interesting to contrast this description that was originally written in Cantonese and translated into English:

> This piece is made of many detachable parts. Different carving techniques including carving-in-the round, relief and open work are used. The circular base is carved with three dragons in clouds on the side and four bands of decorations on the top, each with a different design. The decorations consist of dragons in clouds, chrysanthemums, floral sprays and stringed pearls. A total of three sets of decorations appear on the vertical pole. At the bottom is the immortal magu presenting a birthday gift. Further up is a ball of nine concentric layers. The surface of the ball is carved with two soaring dragons in openwork and twelve round holes through which eight spherical layers can be seen inside. Above the ball is a grooved cylinder carved with openwork decoration. Connecting the three sets of decorations are solid ivory columns that look like bamboo joints. On top of the pole is a tray on which rests an ivory ball of fifteen concentric layers carved with openwork floral designs. The design of this ivory carving is highly innovative, skillfully made, and represents the great achievements of Guangzhou ivory carvers.

Gems from the South: Traditional Crafts of Guangdong Province (2002), pg. 75.

The Chinese Language (Mandarin) and Chinese culture is so particularly rich that it is somehow similar to this complicated artwork, a sort of ivory enigma. If you follow Churchill's famous quote about Russia to the core, you will find the beginning to China (the quote: "Russia is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.")

It is published by HKU press, where I first saw it. It can be ordered from amazon but it is also available here:

http://www.hkbookcity.com/showbook2.php?serial_no=89033

For an additional example as to how different Westerners come to view and know China (not that it is a particularly wrong view) is evident in the difference in the description for the book on amazon vs. 香港書城 (hkbookcity)

A:

> Traditional Guangdong crafts are well known for being decorative and utilitarian. They demonstrate a unique style, distinct from that of North China. This catalogue presents a selection from the Guangdong Museum collection.

香港:

> This volume documents an exhibition at the University of Hong Kong of presenting 94 representative pieces of crafts selected from the Guangdong Provincial Museum collection, including ceramics, inkstones, embroideries, ivory, stone, brick and wood carvings, enamel wares, glass wares, clocks andfurniture.

> Guangdong, situated in the south of China, has always been a rich province with favorable geographical conditions. It has developed its own unique civilization, both materially and spiritually, since ancient times. The industry, dexterity and ingenuity characteristic of the people of Guangdong have encouraged the creation of exquisite and distinctive handicrafts, full of the spirit of their age. During the Ming dynasty, the development of handicrafts grew alongside that of economy and culture in Guangdong, and continued to flourish in the second half of the Qing dynasty. This had a profound influence on the history of arts and crafts in China.

> The volume aims to promote greater appreciation of the civilization of the Lingnan region in China.

I have just one more fucking surprise. Behold the entire artwork:

http://i.imgur.com/bFANXHJ.jpg?1

/u/Vitruvious gave many great links. The books in that link to the Classicist bookshop are excellent, but one on that list I've found exceptional is 'The Study of Architectural Design' by Harbeson. its a collection of essays he wrote in Pencil Points magazine that outlines many of the methods of the Ecole des Beaux Arts. I found it incredibly helpful in understanding classical design at the beginning of my career.

You might also look at some of these books on early 20th century American architects by Walker/Pennoyer. They are filled lots of plans and drawings worth studying about prominent NYC architects of that time:

The Architecture of Delano and Aldrich

The Architecture of Warren and Wetmore

The Architecture of Cross and Cross

Another prominent apartment architect in NYC was Rosario Candela. there is a monograph out, but I haven't looked through it yet.

For buildings in Paris, you can look at Krafft & Ransonnette - 'Maisons de Paris. There was a reprint in 1992 that is good if you can find it used.

If money were no object, 'Motifs Historiques d'Architecture et de Sculpture d'Ornement' by Cesar Daly is excellent for interior elevations of superb French interiors. Unfortunately, I haven't found a reprint.

For contemporary classical apartments, look at some of the more well-established NYC classicists. Some of their monographs and even their websites include plans. Let me know if you need any recommendations on firms.

Hope this is helpful, and feel free to ask questions!

EDIT: Found some of the Cesar Daly books online:
Volume 1
Volume 2

He also published L' architecture privée au XIXe siècle: nouvelles maisons de Paris et de ses environs (Sér. 1,2): Maisons à loyer and has some good plans.

Uncategorized:

Thoughts On Design: Paul Rand


Saul Bass: A Life in Film and Design

How to Be a Graphic Designer without Losing Your Soul

100 Ideas that Changed Graphic Design

Paul Rand

Paul Rand: Conversations with Students

Seventy-nine Short Essays on Design

Bauhaus

The Vignelli Canon

Vignelli From A to Z

Dieter Rams: As Little Design as Possible

It's Not How Good You Are, Its How Good You Want to Be: The World's Best Selling Book

Damn Good Advice (For People with Talent!)

Josef Muller-Brockmann: Pioneer of Swiss Graphic Design

Popular Lies About Graphic Design

100 Ideas that Changed Art

100 Diagrams That Changed the World

Basics Design 08: Design Thinking

Swiss Graphic Design: The Origins and Growth of an International Style, 1920-1965

Lella and Massimo Vignelli (Design is One)

The Accidental Creative: How to Be Brilliant at a Moment's Notice

History of the Poster

How to Think Like a Great Graphic Designer

The Design of Dissent: Socially and Politically Driven Graphics

George Lois: On His Creation of the Big Idea

Milton Glaser: Graphic Design

Sagmeister: Made You Look

Victore or, Who Died and Made You Boss?

Things I have learned in my life so far

Covering the '60s: George Lois, the Esquire Era

Whatever You Think, Think the Opposite

Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative

[Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/0812993012/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=VEJ64Y4T0U6J&coliid=I1WMMNNLTRBQ9G)

Graphic Design Thinking (Design Briefs)

I Used to Be a Design Student: 50 Graphic Designers Then and Now

The Form of the Book: Essays on the Morality of Good Design

Creative Workshop: 80 Challenges to Sharpen Your Design Skills

Information Graphics: A Comprehensive Illustrated Reference

Semiology of Graphics: Diagrams, Networks, Maps

The Visual Display of Quantitative Information

Envisioning Information

The elements of dynamic symmetry

The elements of content strategy

Corporate Diversity: Swiss graphic design and advertising

Book Design: a comprehensive guide

Meggs' History of Graphic Design

Right on.

From when I used to teach design studio (2nd year) I looked for and tried to teach a few things.

1. Diagramming: Keep your spaces simple blobs for now (or rectangles or whatever) and start to document relationships. Where do materials come in? How do they move to where they are processed? How do they move to where they go out or are distributed? Diagram how the spaces are connected with different types of lines (color, stroke, etc.) which mean different things (create a key to explain it). Congrats, you just started documenting "spatial adjacency"!
   
   
2. Now list some of the requirements of the spaces. Lighting, view, access, whatever you can think of. Document this in some way (not just a list, try to figure out a way that makes the most sense to you, it's not always binary, there can be a gradient). Alright, now you're starting to figure out some "spatial requirements!"
   
   
3. Alright, how do those things begin to inform your design? What is most important that you learned from your analysis? View? Access? Lighting? Color? Whatever you choose, make that/them the driving factor (rule) in your design decision process. Now that you have created a framework, start playing with your design so that it follows your rules. Congratulations, you just developed your "design language". What happens if you break one here and there? Does it reinforce the importance of your other rules? Does it create tension in a good way? Can you justify the reason for breaking your rules? Hell, bro, you've gone pro.
   
   I just picked up (because this book came out AFTER I stopped teaching) Operative Design and Conditional Design. These would have been amazing to expose my students to as not only options for basic architectural moves but also help with EXPLAINING them and why they did them. Instead I had to rely on Yes is More which is fine but I wanted something slightly more rigorous.
   Talk to your university's architectural librarian about ordering them if they don't have it. My experience has been very good in asking the librarian to order books. They usually have a budget each cycle and appreciate suggestions.
   
   
4. One last thing. Do things multiple times. Create a lot of different schemes. Iterate like crazy and review your previous designs. Figure out what works and what doesn't. You learn more from failure than from success so FAIL OFTEN and SPECTACULARLY.
   
   Good luck!

Dont forget to "do". I wouldn't expect you to sit down and design a piece of architecture then build it, but start experimenting by building your own lamp or chair. Sketch out your idea THEN build it. Make sure you think THEN do. Think then Do. Think then Do. The iterative process is a fundamental action in design.

At the age of 16 you have plenty of time to experiment with what interests you, as you begin to build things you will find interest and a desire to explore the theoretical side of things. It is of the utmost importance to let your hands guide you. All to often (speaking from personal experience) we concern ourselves with the theory of doing, and then we forget to do! Do not forget to do! "Doing" guides the way to knowing. Knowledge comes so much easier if you also apply it.

and now for the theory. I would begin with this book:

http://www.amazon.com/Programs-Manifestoes-20th-Century-Architecture-Conrads/dp/0262530309/ref=sr_1_53?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1280602788&sr=1-53

The book contains a wide variety of writings regarding architecture. They are short and to the point. Furthermore the book contains a diverse set of ideas that will help you to find your own interest. The book will act as a guide for further reading! Dont forget to have fun!

I don't know whether to be happy or not (even tho it's Thurs). In the NE, with this weather we're having this week, it's difficult to function; I can't even think straight this morning; and I have to get ready for work—stat! The good news is, today we have a reprieve (of a sorts), as it's slightly cooler and overcast. Also, after buying three "modern" table lamps for my new apt over the last month, I am almost completely set up to read, study, write, and edit at the drop of a hat, with perfect lighting, at any time, day or night. (Yes, that's a goal.)

Dating, unfortunately, is completely on the back burner. Still haven't called it quits with my PT GF. We are supposed to talk on the phone this weekend. That's the closest she's willing to get. (That should say something right there, eh?) There is a meetup on Saturday that I desperately want to go to, run by M, who is famously social, fun, and sexy, and to whose meetups dozens of people my age regularly flock. However, the timing is bad: smack dab in the middle of the worst heat index time frame prediction of the entire week; so I'm not going—too dangerous for my health.

In other good news, I got my car back from the shop ($2,000, but the 80,000-mile maintenance found some problems)—yay, and the stereo system in my new apt is finally wired for Airplay in all of the four big rooms. Four months on, my new apt is very close to being perfect.

Hopefully I can work on the novel and get some cleaning done while staying in during the weekend's heat wave.

A bit lonely, but happy to be listening to Bartok Quartets today, and thrilled with the purchase of Elements of Architecture from the Strand in NYC recently, one of the best books I've ever purchased. Yes, expensive, but at over 2000 pages, the price per page is a steal!!

As a political theory undergrad who transferred to architecture school because of the fascinating interplay between political structures, power, and the built environment, I have to say your question isn't fluffy at all. Quite a bit of excellent work covers the subject you're exploring.

Sigfried Gideon's Space, Time, and Architecture is a good place to start.

Foucault talks extensively about how liberating machines can be turned into machines of oppression. It's an interview he gave in the 70's (I think), I'll have to look it up when I head home.

The Ethical Function of Architecture discusses how value systems are translated into the built environment.

I think you can easily create an analytic framework that says something along the lines of "the built environment is the political environment, made physical". As another poster suggests, you could look at Speer and Terragni and contrast them with Corbusier, Mies, Rem, and even Vitruvius; you could easily identify departure points where the 'dictators' made aesthetic decisions to re-enforce the hegemony of the state, and the 'democrats' made decisions to promote liberty, the church, capitalism etc.

Used to be a regional rep for a major fine art auction house.

The reason that the identity of Banksy isn't known is that Banksy is a contrived concept created by a network of art dealers. There doesn't have to actually be a specific person. Yes, someone makes the art (or a group of people), but attributing the work to a particular real-life human being is unnecessary. Pros for the art dealers include not having to pay 50% of the profit to the artist, and the dealers don't have to worry about the issues they've had with other people, like if an artist dies young or creates a PR problem that impedes the market for the product. (Eg: We squeezed works out of people like Jean-Michel Basquiat, but when the guy dies young, it just doesn't pay off like someone who could have produced 10x the amount of work.) Oh, and no...having limited amount of work isn't better in an enormous and hungry world art market.

The movie "Exit Through the Gift Shop" is an extension of this brand. The entire movie is contrived with lots of hints to tell you that "this entire thing is contrived"...hence the name "BANKsy" and the concept that the dealers are directing the buyers like cattle to a purchasing opportunity. The movie was nothing more than a huge advertisement for the brand.

This is what the high-end art business is about. We manufacture "desire" in a variety of different ways (even having art created) and manipulate the buyers to spend as much as possible. I'd be happy to talk more about how this happens, but here are a few resources:

Here's a great book that explains everything.

Here's an article about when the auction houses got caught price fixing. So laughable because it's what we do every day. It's the way the whole system is set up. We're just a little more savvy now.

I am an architect. I gained my Bachelors from UNM and masters from Rice. I largely focus on theoretical works that incorporate computation and digital fabrication.

I personally think The Fountainhead is a joke. There is nothing in that book that relates to anything truly in Architecture other than using the profession as a tool for her to present her personally skewed views on things. Could have been about a plumber.

If there is a "religious experience" it is in throwing yourself into what you love. But I can't imagine someone stuck detailing windows on four story double loaded corridor apartment buildings having a religious experience...unless it is some sort of pittance.

I would do a lot more investigating into the field. There are many corners of the profession that are all interesting and unique. I would start by visiting some local schools if you happen to be near any. You may be able to have a visit and get a sense of the student commitment and time consumption. Post charette can be a good time to visit and see the chaos in its resultant form and watching students present on little to no sleep.

If Ayn Rand is what is motivating you to get into architecture I would recommend you instead turn to something like, The Atlas of Novel Tectonics and Italo Calvino's Invisible Cities as more appropriate places to begin to understand Architecture from within...at least in its generalized contemporary form.

Atlas of Novel Tectonics
http://www.amazon.com/Atlas-Novel-Tectonics-Jesse-Reiser/dp/1568985541

Invisible Cities
http://www.amazon.com/Invisible-Cities-Italo-Calvino/dp/0156453800


If these things make you hungrier...keep feeding the investigation.

Hey guys, I was one of the (many) production artists on the show. We took great care to make this city detailed and follow Speer's plans.
If you're curious, there is a great book of all of his drawings and plans that we used to study what the city would ultimately look like. You can find it here: https://www.amazon.com/Albert-Speer-Architecture-Leon-Krier/dp/1580933548/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8 (yeah it's pricey)

Glad you all liked it :)

These two books were heavily used at my college. They're pretty useful, specifically for architectural work. They're geared towards creating your own designs, which I would encourage you to try.

http://www.amazon.com/Design-Drawing-Francis-D-Ching/dp/0471286540
http://www.amazon.com/Architecture-Francis-D-K-Ching/dp/0471752169

If you want to learn some of the more technical aspects, particularly perspective drawing, I would recommend taking a course from a local college. It can help you to start off on the right foot. Also, try doing some copy drawings of other artists work, and incorporate elements of their style that you enjoy.

I can't be THAT smart, because I can't tell for sure if your comment is sincere or you're being a smart-arse :)

I'm an architect, I know stuff, but can't possibly pretend to know everything in the field- it is vast, so you never stop learning.

There's a lot of good online resources if you just want to look at the subject of architecture/ design. Here are just a few for you to check out if you really are interested:

http://www.dezeen.com/

http://archidose.blogspot.com.au/

http://www.designboom.com/

http://bldgblog.blogspot.com.au/

http://www.ilikearchitecture.net/

http://www.lifeofanarchitect.com/

http://inhabitat.com/

http://fuckyeahbrutalism.tumblr.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modern_architecture

http://www.architizer.com/blog/history-of-modern-architecture-through-movies/



Also, Some Great Books:

http://www.amazon.com/Modern-Architecture-Critical-History-Edition/dp/0500203954

http://www.amazon.com/Towards-New-Architecture-Dover/dp/0486250237/ref=pd_sim_b_7

http://www.amazon.com/101-Things-Learned-Architecture-School/dp/0262062666/ref=pd_sim_b_5

Then my next piece of advice is to learn Rhino. Don't mess with Sketchup or Autocad unless they're stepping stones. Go from Rhino to Revit. It'll be an awkward way of thinking, but you're just preparing yourself for how the industry will change.

Otherwise, I'd highly recommend this book:

http://www.amazon.com/Atlas-Novel-Tectonics-Jesse-Reiser/dp/1568985541/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1398504475&sr=8-1&keywords=atlas+of+novel+tectonics

It might be a little outdated (also pardon the US version of the link), but if you can grasp some of the material in the book, you'll benefit. If you can't, just keep at it. Be observant, be curious, be adventurous, and be original.

I would go on Amazon and begin searching for books related to the matter. Obviously look for books with high reviews, but also pay attention to content. For instance, I saw a book on Amazon about the Eames furniture, but it didn't go into any specifics about design... It was mostly published as a picture book.

It sounds like you would be better suited for books that go into details on the design of furniture, not just looking at images that don't really provide much information.

This book and this book seem like helpful resources.

Yea, I LOVE the Bauhaus - that's what got me thinking about it. Just finished this book [1] on 20th Century architecture which covers a lot of stuff - nearly all it from the Germans. It's a fascinating time!

However, I want something more like this book [2] but for the German history. I can't wait to visit some of the awesome German engineering / science / tech museums.

[1] http://www.amazon.com/Programs-Manifestoes-20th-Century-Architecture-Conrads/dp/0262530309

[2] http://www.amazon.com/American-Genesis-Invention-Technological-Enthusiasm/dp/0226359271/

Book: Towards a New Architecture - A collection of essays on said topic, very beautiful!

Movie: [The Debt](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Debt_(2011_film) - Highly recommend this film, it's a great thriller!

Yes Is More! is a great book about BIG's practice and projects and is done like a comic book. It does a fantastic job of explaining the developmental process for their projects and how they transitioned into the final designs. Granted this is just one firm and not a great overall educator in architecture but i've always loved Bjarkes style and BIG's way of doing / explaining things.

If you want improve your skills buy "Design Drawing" by Ching

http://www.amazon.com/Design-Drawing-Francis-D-Ching/dp/0471286540

There are a variety of exercises you can do in there that, without having to explain will bring some real life to a sketch like what is posted.

Also like "Drawing Shortcuts"

http://www.drawingshortcuts.com/drawingshortcuts/Books.html

Enjoy !

Don Thompson wrote an excellent book on the topic: The $12 Million Stuffed Shark: The Curious Economics of Contemporary Art.

TL;DR: contemporary artists (and the prices the successful ones' work commands) aren't discovered, they're manufactured.

This is one of my favorite books right now. very fun book by one of my favorite firms.

There's a huge body of architecture to understand. I would highly suggest to start by reading this book by Jackie Gargus as an introduction to architectural history. Some other fantastic books are:

​

Complexity and Contradiction by Robert Venturi

Towards a new Architecture by Le Corbusier

Modern Architecture: A Critical History by Kenneth Frampton

Space, Time and Architecture by Sigfried Gideon

The Dynamics of Architectural Form by Rudolf Arnheim

​

For more contemporary readings on architecture I would suggest

Red is not a Color by Bernard Tschumi

S, M, L, XL by Rem Koolhaas

​

All of these will lead you to hundreds of more specific papers and discussions surrounding architecture.

It depends on what you consider cheap. Used options for all of these are available at very reasonable prices, though I don't personally think that the new prices are super high, though I do know of the more expensive books you've probably seen like the Wegner book for closer to a hundred.
http://www.amazon.com/Danish-Modern-Andrew-Hollingsworth/dp/1586858114/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1450038421&sr=8-1&keywords=danish+modern

http://www.amazon.com/Eames-Gloria-Koenig/dp/3836560216/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1450038421&sr=8-3&keywords=danish+modern

http://www.amazon.com/Mid-Century-Modern-Interiors-Furniture-Details/dp/1840914068/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1450038421&sr=8-4&keywords=danish+modern

http://www.amazon.com/Danish-Modern-Beyond-Scandinavian-Heywood-wakefield/dp/0764322168/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1450038421&sr=8-7&keywords=danish+modern

This is the one I would get:

http://www.amazon.com/Scandinavian-Modern-Magnus-England/dp/1849754349/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1450038421&sr=8-5&keywords=danish+modern

I did some research about the Coloring Book piece by Jeff Koons and found this Gale Hart quote:
> Too many artists think the city needs to hand them something,” she said. “A lot of artists have this attitude that they’re special because they make art… There’s not an artist in this town that’s in a place in their career where they deserve $8 million.

https://news.artnet.com/art-world/jeff-koons-coloring-book-sacramento-arena-672608

The value of art is such a perplexing topic to me. For example Matty Mo (LA artist) pulled this stunt at art show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLcfXo_GRSI

AFAIK in the traditional art world, art is valued based on the value of the artist, not on the art itself, but I bet there is more to this that I don't understand. If anyone knows of any literature on the subject pls send my way. I'm going to start with this book: https://www.amazon.com/Million-Stuffed-Shark-Economics-Contemporary/dp/0230620590/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_t_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=CMFP4F0AWJAPK06B7EAG

I think your question made sense the first time. Here are some (I haven't read them):

The Psychology of Collecting: Everybody Collects Something, YES You Do https://www.amazon.com/dp/0936760370/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_A6YwDbRJKWPYZ

To Have and to Hold https://www.amazon.com/dp/158567561X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_J8YwDbEPB2DXH

Collecting in a Consumer Society (Collecting Cultures) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0415258480/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_l9YwDb9X62M0W

I can't find any good marketing or trend ones, though. That would be awesome.

Understanding Architecture: Its Elements, History, and Meaning

A Global History of Architecture

A Visual Dictionary of Architecture

The Death and Life of Great American Cities


Bonus book because I like this firm's concepts:

Yes Is More: An Archicomic on Architectural Evolution - Bjarke Ingels Group

An Essential Reading List For Designers

Source: www.tomfaulkner.co.uk

All books have been linked to Amazon for review and possible purchase. Remember to support the authors by purchasing their books. If there are any issues with this listing let me know via comments or pm.

Architecture

• The Phaidon Atlas of Contemporary World Architecture by Phaidon
  
• The Architecture of the City by Aldo Rossi
  
• Learning from Las Vegas by Robert Venturi, Denise Scott Brown & Steven Izenour
  
• Modern Architecture since 1900 by William J R Curtis
  
• Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture by Phaidon
  
  Communication Design
  
  
• Essentials of Visual Communication by Bo Bergström
  
• Visual Language for Designers by Connie Malamed
  
• Visual Communication: From Theory to Practice by Jonathan Baldwin & Lucienne Roberts
  
• This Means This, That Means That: A User's Guide to Semiotics by Sean Hall
  
• Practices of Looking: An Introduction to Visual Culture by Marita Struken & Lisa Cartwright
  
  Fashion Design
  
  
• Fashion Design Course by Steven Faerm
  
• Fashion Today by Colin McDowell
  
• The Fashion Designer Survival Guide by Mary Gehlhar
  
• Deluxe: How Luxury Lost it Lustre by Dana Thomas
  
• The Fashion Book by Angela Buttolph Editors of Phaidon ?
  
  Furniture Design
  
  
• Furniture Design by Stuart Lawson
  
• Eames by Gloria Koenig
  
• Design of the 20th Century by Charlotte & Peter Fiell
  
• 1000 Chairs by Charlotte & Peter Fiell
  
• The Encyclopedia of Furniture by Joseph Aronson
  
  Game Design
  
  
• The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses by Jess Schell
  
• Theory of Fun for Game Design by Raph Koster
  
• [Challenges for Game Designers](Challenges for Game Designers) by Brenda Brathwaite
  
• Level Up!: The Guide to Great Video Game Design by Scott Rogers
  
• Screenplay: The Foundation of Screenwriting by Syd Field
  
  Graphic Design
  
  
• Grid System in Graphic Design by Josef-Muller Brockmann
  
• The Art of Looking Sideways by Alan Fletcher
  
• A Type Primer by John Kane
  
• The Elements of Typographic Style by Robert Bringhurst
  
• The New Typography by Jan Tschichold
  
  Information Design
  
  
• The Visual Display of Quantitative Information by Edward Tufte
  
• Show Me The Numbers:Desiginingg Tables and Graphs to Enlighten by Stephen Few
  
• Envisioning Information by Edward Tufte
  
• Information is Beautiful by David McCandless
  
• Information Graphic by Sandra Rendgen
  
  
  Industrial Design
  
  
• The Design of Everyday Things by Donald A. Norman
  
• The Laws of Simplicity by John Maeda
  
• Manufacturing Processes for Design Professionals by Rob Thompson
  
• Process: 50 Product Design from Concept to Manufacture by Jennifer Hudson
  
• Universal Principles of Design by William Lidwell
  
  (cont'd)
  
  

http://www.amazon.com/Lewis-Tsurumaki-Lewis-Intensities-Paul-Lewis/dp/1616890665/ref=pd_sim_b_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=16AHJP8Y1BKQHG9V7315

http://www.amazon.com/Lewis-Tsurumaki-Lewis-Opportunistic-Architecture-Paul-Lewis/dp/1568987102

I'm an architecture student and I love these.

https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Days-World-Sarah-Thornton/dp/039333712X
https://www.amazon.com/Million-Stuffed-Shark-Economics-Contemporary/dp/0230620590

these two books will give you a great understanding of modern art.

Lewis.Tsurumaki.Lewis: Opportunistic Architecture.

My studio prof thinks this is the best book about architecture. Ordered one several days ago; my copy is in the mail.
link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1568987102

The best resource I know would be the Albert Speer Architecture Coffee Table Book https://www.amazon.com/Albert-Speer-Architecture-Leon-Krier/dp/1580933548 which is pretty spectacular. I own it, it has all the plans. It does not come cheap but they reprint it once in a while. I think I got it for about $75.

In the contemporary art market, a piece becomes "worth" whatever people are willing to pay for it. There is no inherent "worth" of any art (aside from the materials for something like a Damien Hirst diamond skull) - so the price ultimately drives its arbitrary "worth."

The art market is inherently irrational and entirely deregulated. Due mostly to a complex form of branding, seemingly ridiculous and useless pieces of art fetch millions simply because investors/buyers collectively believe it will retain this value.

I highly recommend the book The $12 Million Stuffed Shark: The Curious Economics of Contemporary Art

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/3836560216/ref=dp_ob_neva_mobile

I have this on my coffee table.