Design & Philosophy

Industrial Design in the Modern Age

An ambitious new survey of industrial design from 1900 to the present day in the United States, Europe, and around the world, as told through selected objects from the George R. Kravis II Collection.

China's Design Revolution

China is on the verge of a design revolution. A "third generation" of the People's Republic of China that came of age during China's "opening up" period of the 1980s now strives for fame, fortune, and self expression. This generation, workers in their thirties and forties, has more freedom to create -- and to consume -- than their parents or grandparents. In China's Design Revolution, Lorraine Justice maps the evolution of Chinese design and innovation.

Top This and Other Parables of Design: Selected Writings

In September 2015 the world lost Phil Patton--prolific design writer, teacher and tantalizing wordsmith. Patton's insatiable curiosity, sense of humor and keen eye made for the most compelling reads. Whether it was chronicling design minutia, quirky anecdotes or bizarre tales, Phil's hundreds of books, columns, articles and posts always delivered a new account.

Industrial Design for Modern Life

What should a television look like? How should a dial on a radio feel to the touch? These were questions John Vassos asked when the Radio Corporation of America (RCA) asked him to design the first mass-produced television receiver, the TRK-12, which had its spectacular premier at the 1939 New York World’s Fair. Vassos emigrated from Greece and arrived in the United States in 1919.

Design the Life You Love

A joyful, inspirational guide to building the life you've always dreamed of, using the principles and creative process of an award-winning product designer.


Design Transitions

Discover where design practice is today – and where it will take us in the future.
Design Transitions presents 42 unique and insightful stories of how design is changing around the world. Twelve countries are represented from the perspectives of three different communities: design agencies, organizations embedding design; and design academics.

The Myths of Creativity: The Truth About How Innovative Companies and People Generate Great Ideas

How to get past the most common myths about creativity to design truly innovative strategies We tend to think of creativity in terms reminiscent of the ancient muses: divinely-inspired, unpredictable, and bestowed upon a lucky few. But when our jobs challenge us to be creative on demand, we must develop novel, useful ideas that will keep our organizations competitive. The Myths of Creativity demystifies the processes that drive innovation.

Watches Tell More Than Time

"I hope people are starting to see design is making a difference." —Steve Jobs on the iMac "Fifteen years ago, companies competed on price. Today it's quality. Tomorrow it's design." —Robert Hayes, Harvard Business School From the Back Cover The design of every product conveys certain information, and modern consumers are experts in reading the language of product design. Most of us can discern the different messages conveyed by say, a Rolex versus a Swatch, a Porsche versus a Hummer, a Kenneth Cole versus a Bally, or an iMac versus a Compaq.

Design by Nature

In Design by Nature: Using Universal Forms and Principles in Design, author Maggie Macnab takes you on an intimate and eclectic journey examining the unending versatility of nature, showing how to uncover nature’s ingenuity and use it to create beautiful and compelling designed communications.

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