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China is fast becoming an economic power and with that comes fast development and changes in the people’s lifestyles, living standards and contemporary culture. This rapid development in a country with rich history and culture has brought about a unique evolution in Chinese design trends and styles. Traditions provide a strong background to new designs, bringing about a harmonisation of the old and the new, with the exploration of contemporary design concepts. Such contemporary Chinese designs that showcase a unique palette of textures, colours, and elements is representative of Chinese roots and at the same time presents a set of aesthetics that is appealing to the modern world. In recent years, contemporary Chinese designs have not only become popular in Asia, they have also gained a strong following in the western world. This book features a collection of projects from the Asian region including China, Hong Kong and Singapore which will hopefully inspire designers the world over to continue to bring this design phenomenon to a higher level. Turn the page and indulge yourself in a where acid jazz plays against traditional Chinese lanterns and antique furniture.

For many years, Belgium has occupied a leading role in the field of contemporary architecture and design. Belgian architects, designers and interior specialists enjoy worldwide fame for their creations.

This book presents recent projects by trend-setting Belgian architects and interior designers: Vincent Van Duysen, Pascal Van Der Kelen, Instore, Jean-Marie Gillet, Obumex, Nathalie Van Reeth, Christine von der Becke and Hendrik Vermoortel (Buro I & II).

It includes both new construction projects and restorations, all of which are characterised by the quality of the workmanship and the serene, elegant atmosphere that they radiate.

In spite of the differences between the houses that are presented here, there is a leitmotif that runs through all the accounts: the pursuit of a pure aesthetic, (interior) architecture that finds its essence in clean forms and warm materials.

The beauty of Soviet brutalism. A photographic record of 90 weird and wonderful buildings from the last decades of the USSR

Photographer Frédéric Chaubin reveals 90 buildings sited in fourteen former Soviet Republics which express what he considers to be the fourth age of Soviet architecture. His poetic pictures reveal an unexpected rebirth of imagination, an unknown burgeoning that took place from 1970 until 1990. Contrary to the 1920s and 1950s, no “school” or main trend emerges here. These buildings represent a chaotic impulse brought about by a decaying system. Their diversity announced the end of the Soviet Union.

Taking advantage of the collapsing monolithic structure, the holes in the widening net, architects went far beyond modernism, going back to the roots or freely innovating. Some of the daring ones completed projects that the Constructivists would have dreamt of (Druzhba Sanatorium, Yalta), others expressed their imagination in an expressionist way (Palace of Weddings, Tbilisi). A summer camp, inspired by sketches of a prototype lunar base, lays claim to Suprematist influence (Prometheus youth camp, Bogatyr). Then comes the "speaking architecture" widespread in the last years of the USSR: a crematorium adorned with concrete flames (Crematorium, Kiev), a technological institute with a flying saucer crashed on the roof (Institute of Scientific Research, Kiev), a political center watching you like Big Brother (House of Soviets, Kaliningrad). This puzzle of styles testifies to all the ideological dreams of the period, from the obsession with the cosmos to the rebirth of identity. It also outlines the geography of the USSR, showing how local influences made their exotic twists before the country was brought to its end.

Frédéric Chaubin's Cosmic Communist Constructions Photographed is elected best book on architecture of the year by the International Artbook and Film Festival in Perpignan/France (Festival International du Livre d'Art & du Film Perpignan).

The photographer:

Frédéric Chaubin has been, for the last fifteen years, editor-in-chief of the French lifestyle magazine Citizen K. Since 2000 he has regularly featured works combining text and photography. The CCCP collection research was carried out from 2003 to 2010, through an intuitive and creative travel process. This project has been shown throughout the world, from Japan to the United States.

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Посмотреть книгу Cosmic Communist Constructions Photographed - Frédéric Chaubin. CCCP в бюджетной серии Bibliotheca Universalis

Brutalist Beauties. Architectural remnants of the USSR

An unrivalled photographic journey through time and geography, Frédéric Chaubin’s Cosmic Communist Constructions Photographed gathers 90 buildings in 14 former Soviet Republics, each built between 1970 and 1990. In their local exoticism, outlandish ideologies, and puzzle of styles, these vast, weird, and wonderful buildings are extraordinary remnants of a fallen system and state.

Elected the architectural book of the year by the International Artbook and Film Festival in Perpignan, France, Frédéric Chaubin’s Cosmic Communist Constructions Photographed explores 90 buildings in 14 former Soviet Republics. Each of these structures expresses what Chaubin considers the fourth age of Soviet architecture, an unknown burgeoning that took place from 1970 until 1990.

Contrary to the 1920s and 1950s, no “school” or main trend emerges here. These buildings represent a chaotic impulse brought about by a decaying system. Taking advantage of the collapsing monolithic structure, architects went far beyond modernism, going back to the roots or freely innovating. Some of the daring ones completed projects that the Constructivists would have dreamt of (Druzhba Sanatorium, Yalta), others expressed their imagination in an expressionist way (Palace of Weddings, Tbilisi). A summer camp, inspired by sketches of a prototype lunar base, lays claim to Suprematist influence (Prometheus youth camp, Bogatyr). Then comes the “speaking architecture” widespread in the last years of the USSR: a crematorium adorned with concrete flames (Crematorium, Kiev), a technological institute with a flying saucer crashed on the roof (Institute of Scientific Research, Kiev), a political centre watching you like Big Brother (House of Soviets, Kaliningrad).

In their puzzle of styles, their outlandish strategies, these buildings are extraordinary remnants of a collapsing system. In their diversity and local exoticism, they testify both to the vast geography of the USSR and its encroaching end of the Soviet Union, the holes in a widening net. At the same time, they immortalize many of the ideological dreams of the country and its time, from an obsession with the cosmos to the rebirth of identity.

About the series:

Bibliotheca Universalis — Compact cultural companions celebrating the eclectic TASCHEN universe at an unbeatable, democratic price!

Since we started our work as cultural archaeologists in 1980, TASCHEN has become synonymous with accessible, open-minded publishing. Bibliotheca Universalis brings together more than 100 of our all-time favourite titles in a neat new format so you can curate your own affordable library of art, anthropology, and aphrodisia.

Bookworm’s delight — never bore, always excite!

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Посмотреть полноформатное издание книги Cosmic Communist Constructions Photographed - Frédéric Chaubin. CCCP

Dreaming of Tuscany. Where to Find the Best There Is: Perfect Hilltowns; Splendid Palazzos; Rustic Farmhouses; Glorious Gardens; Authentic Cuisine; Great Wines

No country inspires as much fascination as Italy, and no region in Italy inspires as much adoration as Tuscany - for its interior design, art and architecture, fashion, artisans and crafts, food and wine. In Dreaming of Tuscany, you'll experience the essence of a place that dreams are made of, ensuring you'll get the most out of your experience. Sharing her recommendations of favourite insider places and word-of-mouth gems, best-selling lifestyle author Barbara Milo Ohrbach acts as a guide to food markets, exquisite shops, overflowing antique markets, not to mention cooking courses, outdoor painting classes, ancient palazzos and small museums. And you can live like a Tuscan once you return home, with this book providing sources for everything from luscious bed linens to peppery olive oil.

Dreaming of Tuscany is illustrated with three hundred sumptuous images by photographer Simon Upton. Don't dream of visiting Tuscany without first reading this book.

TASCHEN's 25th anniversary - Special edition! What do we really know about our ancestors? Not about the rulers and generals, but about laborers, farmers, soldiers and families. Egypt is a perfect case in point, almost a blank slate for most of us as it regards details of their everyday life. This useful and informative book attempts to set the record straight by offering a distinctive take on that most mythologized of epochs. Who would have guessed, for example, that the first strike in recorded history took place in 1152 BC during work on the necropolis in the Valley of the Kings, a protest by construction workers against delayed deliveries of oil and flour? Two fairly banal commodities maybe, but essential: oil protected the skin against the savage desert climate, whilst flour was the base ingredient for thirty different kinds of nutritional cake. It is this detailed examination of the evidence that distinguishes this volume, with chapters on everything from relationships to leisure activities, the role of women to the manufacture of mummies. And just like the mummies, “fragile as eggshell but solid as a statue” and magically able to transcend death, both people and country are brought alive for us again.

Roman emperors, Arab scholars, and early travellers were already drawn to and enchanted by the fascination of the land along the Nile. The pyramids of Giza, the temple-city of Karnak, or the Valley of the Kings with the grave of Tutankhamen even today maintain their extraordinary force of attraction.Across the centuries, the high culture of the ancient Egyptians has pertained its allure. This can certainly be attributed to their astounding architectural, artistic, and technological achievements as well as their high level of writing and literature. The unified world view of old Egypt, in which science and religion are an indissoluble unity, impresses us deeply, as well.

Egypt’s romantic allure does not end with the age of the pharaohs. This lavishly illustrated book offers an unprecedented look inside the opulent estates of the pashas, khedives, and great ladies of 19th-century Egypt, and the princes and kings of the early 20th century. Here in all its cosmopolitan splendor is the world of unparalleled prosperity that attracted adventurers the world over, from the Belle Époque through the Roaring Twenties. The stories of the families and architects behind 41 spectacular villas and palaces make this volume as fascinating to read as it is to look at. Sumptuously illustrated with 174 original color photographs, Egyptian Palaces and Villas will entrance and delight anyone interested in this proud land and its dramatic history.

This all-embracing and well-illustrated survey provides an even-handed, straightforward history of English architecture from Anglo-Saxon times to the end of the 20th century. Concentrating on buildings that can still be seen today, David Watkin discusses all the styles and periods of English architecture, including Norman, early Gothic, Perpendicular, Jacobean, Baroque, Classical Revival and Victorian.

The emphasis is on the high points of English creative genius as expressed in the art of architecture by Inigo Jones, Christopher Wren, John Soane, Edwin Lutyens, Richard Rogers and a host of others. This updated edition includes a new preface, a revised bibliography, and an expanded chapter on the Modern Movement and more recent styles that brings the story up to the present.

Far-flung cultures have always been a source of inspiration for the exploration-minded Old Continent. Charmed by the exoticism of those distant styles, furniture designs and objets d"art, this decorative trend still exists today. Africa, Indonesia, Morocco, China, India and South America are lands that inspire the projects included in this book. Raffia rugs, natural fibre ornaments, leathers, hand-sewn baskets, Totem figures... just some of the objects that give personality to these projects.

Doors in Paris, windows in Berlin, columns in Rome – details of all ages and styles are the focus of this volume.

European Architecture in Details takes you on a journey through the plazas and streets of the most splendid 21 cities of Europe, presenting an extraordinary view on the amazing variety of architectural details. Be it something new, old, beautiful or unusual, every metropolis appears under a new light.

- For the interested traveller with an eye on the detail
- A journey through European metropolises
- Experiencing unusual perspectives

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European metropolises like Berlin, Rome, Barcelona, Istanbul or London are fascinating because of their history, the people, and the feeling for life but especially because of the buildings. Architectural details of all epochs and styles are the focus of this book: the window as the eye of the house, balconies as retreats in the midst of the urban din or stairs as the embodiment of change. Aside from their functions, these details lend a building individuality, provide it with a face and determine its appearance.

European Architecture in Details takes the reader on a journey through the plazas and streets of the most exciting 20 cities of Europe, presenting an unusual variety of architectural details. Be it something new, old, beautiful or strange, every city appears in a thoroughly new light.

Contents:
Fragrance Filling the Courtyard·Spring Scenery Is Locked in a Small Boudoir
(Ancient and Unsophisticated Artistic Conception)
Understated and Undemonstrative Chinese Charm--Vanke Tangyue Club, Dongguan
Always Alluring Whether Adorned or Plain--Yueshang Xiangjiang Restaurant, Beijing
Chinese Characters Tell Chinese History--Jumeirah Himalayas Hotel, Shanghai
Caring for Mankind--Dunnan and Tianmu Restaurants of Eu Yan Sang · The Zun Express, Taiwan
New or Traditional, Highlighting Kunlun--Hotel Kunlun, Hohhot
...
Fragrance Filling the Courtyard·Summer Scenery
(Luxury Artistic Conception)
Beijing-style Mansion with Imperial Flavor--Imperial Mansion, Beijing
Splendid, Noble and Imperial Style--Guijie Shop of Go Believe, Beijing
Rich-flavor Restaurant--Wangshunge Pin · Wei Restaurant, Beijing
Splendid “Chinese Door”--Hilton, Beijing Capital Airport
Elegant & Understated Club--Sanming Club, Fuzhou
An Ideal Place Far away from the Noisy World--Showflat of Jinxiu Villa, Yichun, Jiangxi
Luxurious China Red Building in Foreign Land--Tse Yang, Qatar
Shimmering Ripples Revealing Luxury and Elegance--Yuleijinxiu Business Club, Dujiangyan, Sichuan
Magnificent Villa -- A Spiritual Belongingness for Oriental Elites--Showflat of Taihu Golf Villas, Suzhou
A Visual Treat of History--No.9 Seafood Restaurant, Tianjin
Attractive Sumptuousness--Zen5es in Westin, Tianjin
A Hotel in Orient and Has Infinite Charm --Raffles Tianjin
...
Fragrance Filling the Courtyard·Reputation Is as Slight as Snail’s Feelers
(Modern Zen Artistic Conception)
Picking up Lotus and Smiling Subtly to Brush off Dust--Showflat of Mengzeyuan, Changsha
Slow-paced Space Featuring Zen Atmosphere--Jipinhui Club, Fuzhou
Poetic Living--Reception Center of Tangqian Mingyue Villa, Fuzhou
Tea Aroma Making Sweet-scented Laurel Ashamed--Ming Shi Hui Tea Club, Fuzhou
Balance of Dynamic and Static Highlighting Zen Atmosphere--Taiwan Rice Sets of Cuisine, Fuzhou
Tasting Zen in Tea--Jingchangfang, Fuzhou
Fresh and Elegant Zen Space--Showflat of Meijia Oriental Holiday Villa, Maoshan
Light of Buddla, Fantastic--De' All Restaurant, Shanghai
Antithesis Continually Writing Legend --Phoenix Tea Club, Shijiazhuang
...
 Fragrance Filling the Courtyard·Write in Wuxiang Mountain in Lishui
(Modern & Fashion Artistic Conception)
Poetic Charm of Blue and White Porcelain--Showflat of Landun Jingyuan, Zhuzhou, Hunan
Reconstruct the Space and Produce New Flavor--Sales Office of Sky City, Chengdu
New Interpretation of Traditional Concept--Blossom Seasons Hotel, Beijing
Carp Leaping Over the Dragon Gate--Feiteng Yuxiang Restaurant, The Place, Beijing
Fashion and low-keyed Oriental Flavor--Flat of Tianjunyunding, Fuzhou
New Interpretation of Traditional Flavor--Jingjie Villa, Nansha, Guangzhou
...
 Fragrance Filling the Courtyard·Blooming Polygonum Orientale
(Leisure Resort Artistic Conception)
Graceful Southeast Asian Style--Sales Center of Foshan Lunjiao · Vanke (Phase I)
Leisure Elegance--Yuanyang Residence, Sanya
Singing Literate Elegance with Sea Breeze--Showflat of Narada Resort & Spa Perfumed Bay
Thick and Heavy Colors to Draw Jiangnan Water Town--Banyan Tree Hangzhou
Charming with Either Light or Heavy Makeup--Four Seasons Hotel Hangzhou
Relaxing and Cozy Holiday Style--Model Villa of C type, Global Migrant Bird Resort, Huizhou

From the classic elegance of Haussmann's Parisian boulevards and the glorious excesses of Versailles, to the bohemian charms of Toulouse Lautrec's Montmartre and the artist's garret, France has a legendary style. This beautifully illustrated book explores the elements that combine to create spaces with an identifiably French feel: the architectural details that enhance the framework of a room, the textures and colours that flatter various styles of furniture, options for lighting, mirrors and paintings.

Looking at real homes, antiques dealer and stylist Josephine Ryan demonstrates a keen eye for objects both ordinary and extraordinary, and examines the alchemy of a style that can be either lush and complex or pared-down and rigorous. French Home will help you reinvent your surroundings and gain a touch of French style.