A new book from Rizzoli; the iconic Le Bristol Paris

 

Located in the heart of Paris, the ICONIC Le Bristol palace hotel has pampered elite guests from around the world since 1925. This new gorgeous volume from Rizzoli traces the history of the legendary hotel created by visionary entrepreneur Hippolyte Jammet after his purchase in 1923 and named for the Earl of Bristol.  The hotel attracted Parisian high society in the roaring twenties and has continued ever since to welcome A-list guests from across the globe. I personally recommend a visit to Le Bar du Bristol or one of their restaurants which have a total of 4 Michelin stars!

Today it represents a distinctively French lifestyle and exudes timeless luxury through high quality service, lavish rooms, and peaceful gardens, that offer refuge from the bustling city; the prettiest hotel in Paris by far!

Combining history, architecture, interiors, gastronomy, and a taste for luxurious living, this gorgeous book - produced with silver gilt edging - celebrates this jewel on Paris's prestigious Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. This is the perfect addition to any library for a design traveler's "wish-list"!

Image of facade and lounge by Claire Cocano and Image of hall by Eric Deniset, all from Le Bristol Paris, Flammarion. 

I'm not sure why these projects always need to be so depressingly modern or banal, butLow-income housing is a topic that's always interested me and Rizzoli has a new book out addressing this with a variety of projects, Housing the Nation.  I think the urban infill projects are particularly successful. 

On any given night, more than 650,000 people in the United States—many with families and full-time jobs—experience homelessness. The shortfall in affordable housing is estimated to be 5 million units or more.

Just as there was no single cause of the crisis, there is no single cure. Assembled here are essays by economists, scholars, architects, planners, and community organizers to address diverse aspects of the subject. The book discusses the history and extent of the US housing crisis; permanent affordable housing and affordable housing as a component of market-rate residential buildings; the development of community associations that can build and manage local units; links between housing production and climate change; and the pervasive and long-term consequences of racial discrimination in the housing market. Recent buildings by Studio Gang, Koning Eizenberg Architecture, and others illustrate affordable housing at its best, offering a glimpse of possible solutions.

Included are essays by Dean Baker, Richard Florida, Robert Kuttner, Michael Gecan, Rosanne Haggerty, J. Phillip Thompson, Margery Perlmutter, David Dante Troutt, Justin Steil, Christopher Hawthorne, David Burney, Jon McMillan, Viren Brahmbhatt, Richard Plunz, Kenneth Frampton, Mark Ginsberg, Fernando Pagés Ruiz, Jessica Holmes, Rusty Smith, Andrés Duany, Alan Organschi, Andrew Ruff, and Elizabeth Gray.

Thomas Proctor: Classical Houses book signing this week!

 

Live events are back! This Thursday, 9/23/2021, the WMA_ICAA is hosting Thomas Proctor from Los Angeles for the release of his new book: Thomas Proctor, Classical Houses from Rizzoli.  

Copies of the book will be available for sale from Politics and Prose.   Proctor will be signing them following a brief presentation and refreshments will be served. Given the central location stop by for a drink and a copy of Proctor's excellent new book prior to dinner out on the town! 

Tickets for this FREE event are available HERE -hope to see you there! 

Many thanks to Compass Realty for hosting this event!

Summer Houses by the Sea: The Shingle Style

Just in time for summer Rizzoli has a new, soon-to-be-released book about the ubiquitous beach house: Summer Houses by the Sea: The Shingle Style by Bret Morgan.  Of course I have to lead this post with the most famous house featured in the book, Grey Gardens, which recently sold.

What makes this book different from others on the same subject is not only the never-before-published, full-page photographs to drool over but FLOORPLANS for many of the houses! I know that will draw some attention from ArchitectDesign readers!

Not all of the houses featured are turn of the last century either, with many new builds and even some modern projects such as this sinuous house built for a scientist, seen above, in Seal Harbor by architect Peter Forbes. I love the little 'labs' on the roof.

 My favorite of the featured houses though has to be the gambrel roofed Mallinckrodt Cottage from 1898, seen above, in Jamestown, RI. Notice the charming views from the living room windows below.  If one has to be indoors at a beach house you may as well have water views (including views of other houses!) and a fireplace.

The sweeping screened porch of Rosserne, below, in Northeast Harbor isn't so bad either! Nap time on that chaise longue perhaps?

I think Summer Houses by the Sea: The Shingle Style is the perfect addition to any design library as the definitive grouping of the style: definitely check this one out!
All images © Bret Morgan

Sophisticated Simplicity with Suzanne Kasler, Jeffrey Dungan, and a booksigning!

The great designer Suzanne Kasler is at it again with her 3rd book from Rizzoli, Sophisticated Simplicity, sharing more of her timeless projects. This new book looks at a number of her recent projects ranging from town to country, mixing high and low, and with a lot more modern than we're used to seeing from her!

The project below in South Carolina had the homeowners taking Suzanne out of her comfort zone with their love of bold colors.

Many of the projects however feature Kasler's signature of beautiful neutrals with light-filled interiors.

The project in Maine, seen in these 2 photos, showcases the homeowners' love of blue &white and is what relaxed coastal living is all about!

But the event I'm excited to share with you is a booksigning with Suzanne Kasler, Architect Jeffrey Dungan, and photographer William Abranowicz, that I'm hosting through our chapter of the ICAA in conjunction with Circa lighting with whom Kasler has a lighting line. Dungan is a talented architect out of the South who recently released a monograph of some of his impressive work to date. This book is not to be missed!

The free book-signing event will be hosted at the Circa showroom in Cadys Alley, DC on the evening of Tuesday, October 2nd, 2018.  The first 75 attendees will win copies of the books courtesy of Circa!  A fun giveaway raffle from Circa and the ICAA is yet another reason to come! Kasler, Dungan, and Abranowicz will all briefly speak about their work featured in these 2 interesting books.  Books will be available for sale in addition to the free copies.  I hope to see many of you there! 

All images courtesy of RizzoliUSA

Making LA Modern: Craig Ellwood architect

While I rarely feature modern design here at ArchitectDesign that does not mean I don't have an appreciation for the style. Rather I think as in anything, quality matters, and so much of what you see that passes as 'modern' is just poor and lazy design.

However there are modern architects whose work makes my heart swoon: one of these is mid-century LA architect Craig Ellwood.  Ellwood took the formal modernism of Mies van der Rohe (another architect I greatly admire) and added some California casualness.

Next month (April 2018) Rizzoli is releasing a new book on this modern master entitled Making L.A. Modern: Craig Ellwood - Myth - Man - Designer by Michael Boyd with stunning photography by Richard Powers seen here in this post.

Modernism is rooted in details and that is what so often breaks a design for me.  These houses built by Ellwood in the 50s and 60s have all of the warmth of more traditional architecture and all of the detailing of grand classical architecture; you want to spend time in these spaces.

Ellwood was a great self-promoter; had he been practicing today I'm sure he would be an instagram darling.  He was larger than life and no book about him would be complete without the juicy details!

I think we all have a few things to learn from this purist perfectionist and luckily this book can help!

All photography by Richard Powers - Making L.A. Modern: Craig Ellwood was edited by Michael Boyd, Rizzoli New Yori, 2018. Images may not be reproduced in any way, published, or transmitted digitally, without written permission from the publisher. 

Architecture Inside-Out: Understanding how buildings work

Rizzoli is releasing a book later this month perfect for any serious architecture lover, Architecture Inside-Out: Understanding how building work.  The author John Zukowsky and illustrator Rob Polley take a look at 50 famous structures in detail including amazing axonometric drawings showing how they were constructed.

Both ancient and modern buildings are included which gets really interesting when you contrast construction techniques.

Did you know most of your favorite domed buildings are actually double domes? The dome you see inside is generally not the same shape as the dome seen on the exterior, like seen here at the Taj Mahal.

As I said modern structures are included as well such as German's rebuilt Reichstag with its modern dome.

I think the drawings convey so much more than the photographs.

Architecture Inside-Out: Understanding how building work is perfect for readers of any age: aspiring architects, history buffs, and even professionals will all gain something from this book I promise!

Gil Schafer, A place to call home

The most highly anticipated book this year has got to be architect Gil Schafer's "A Place to Call Home" from Rizzoli.  His first book, 2012's "The Great American House", was a huge hit and is one of my top favorite design books in my library. The book is split into 2 parts: the first he discusses what resonates with him when designing a house for a client (or himself) and the second part takes an in depth look at some of his more recent projects. 

I think one of the reasons Schafer's work is so popular is that he believes in the maxim God is in the details. In no project is this more important than in a home where someone lives with and physically touches each design decision on a daily basis. Schafer is a residential master; the projects in the book range from the traditional architecture he is known for to more modern styles.

The book is written so conversationally one walks away feeling you've made a new friend!   It's easy to form a connection to Schafer as he begins the book with stories of his childhood of different family houses: the sites and smells he remembers. I think we all have those memories of grandma's house!  

My favorite section is called 'the spaces in between' which are so important to a home; Linen closets, mudrooms, butler's pantries; etc.  Some great tips to pick up from that chapter!

Clients today rarely ask for formality and Schafer addresses this intelligently. It's possible to have functional spaces in a more traditional design aesthetic; candlelight and dressing up are not required!

This book is a must have for any design library and will bring a smile to your face. I promise you'll return to it again and again!

All images taken from the book, published by Rizzoli, and photographed by Eric Piasecki.

Making House: Designers at Home

Book publishing season is upon us and it feels like everyday a great new design book hits the stands to devour! Rizzoli is about to release "Making House: Designers at Home"  by Dominic Bradbury which is one of those great peaks into our favorite designer's own homes -many that will surprise you!

Kelly Wearstler's Malibu house definitely fits into her aesthetic with these highly refined marble built-ins in her living room which are astounding. Wait until you see the adjoining fireplace!!!

The London home of textile designer Neisha Crosland is highly undecorated, which I love to see, and reflects her fun personality. Those double oak leaf chandeliers I want so badly!! Such a fun idea to upholster all of the dining room chairs differently too.

Italian architect Piero Lissoni's minimal home in Tuscany will soothe and calm your senses.  This metal staircase may be my favorite thing I've seen in awhile: simple yet elegant.  I wish our codes in the USA would allow an open rail!

Many of the designer's homes pictured are familiar to us but I love to see how they evolve over time. Case in point are both Miles Redd's NYC townhouse and Stephen Sill's Westchester country house which have been published multiple times.  There is always something new to see as the spaces are constantly changing as the owner's grow; these are the design laboratories of great minds.

Making House from Rizzoli is a great look at some of our favorite top talent's private spaces - it's human nature to be nosey, right?  Time to dive right in and see how they're living!
Photography in the book by Richard Powers

Robert Adam: new book release!

Another book which makes its debut this spring is on an architect who needs no introduction. Robert Adam, Country House Design, Decoration & The Art of Elegance by historian Jeremy Musson from Rizzoli is really the definitive book on the Scottish architect who transformed the face of Neoclassicism.

The photographs by the late Paul Barker are among the best I've ever seen of these oft-published projects which defined a style; the Adam Style. The architect was truly a Renaissance man designing parks, buildings, and furniture; an entire environment really, while also serving as a member of British Parliament (1768-1774)!

Nearly 250 years later his projects still astonish with their use of ornament and color in revolutionary ways.

These iconic spaces are instantly recognizable as the work of one man. This volume which covers many of his remaining projects have miraculously not changed centuries later -a testament to their timeless design.

Robert Adam delves into his design process, with many reproduced drawings, which is a must for any modern designer. How does one design for the long term and what is the thought process? This book is a must-have for any reference library as the definitive collection of this master architect, Robert Adam.

© RobertAdam: Country House Design, Decoration and the Art of Elegance by Jeremy Musson, Rizzoli New York, 2017. Images may not be reproduced in any way.