The 18th International Architecture Exhibition, in Venice from May 20th to November 26th, 2023, is entitled The Laboratory of the Future. Conceived as “a kind of workshop, a laboratory where architects and practitioners across an expanded field of creative disciplines draw out examples from their contemporary practices that chart a path for the audience — participants and visitors alike — to weave through, imagining for themselves what the future can hold” (Lesley Lokko).
The Catalogue of the Biennale Architettura 2023 is divided into two volumes and follows the organisation of the Exhibition, accompanying visitors and architecture enthusiasts through the exhibition spaces of the Arsenale and the Giardini, and towards the other projects showing in various locations in the city of Venice and in Forte Marghera, in Mestre.
Volume I of the Catalogue, divided into different sections, opens with statements from the President of La Biennale di Venezia, Roberto Cicutto, and the Artistic Director of the Architecture Department, Lesley Lokko. One section is dedicated to the events of Carnival, a cycle of lectures, debates, panel discussions and performances that explore the themes of the 18th International Architecture Exhibition, followed by a section dedicated to Special Projects. The Volume then dedicates two sections to the International Exhibition, curated by Lesley Lokko, respectively titled Force Majeure and Dangerous Liaisons. Each project on display in the Exhibition is accompanied by a critical text and a rich iconography that completes the Participants’ work. A further section is dedicated to the first edition of the Biennale College Architettura, which will hold its workshop from June 25th to July 22nd, 2023, in Venice.
Threaded throughout are a series of essays developing the themes of the Exhibition and a detailed record of the works on display. Volume II of the Catalogue presents the National Participations and the Collateral Events of the 18th International Architecture Exhibition. The volume includes a series of illustrated texts that delve deeper into the projects on exhibit in the Pavilions and the Collateral Events at the Giardini, at the Arsenale and in various locations across Venice from May 20th through November 26th, 2023.
The graphic identity of the Biennale Architettura 2023 and the design of the publications are the work of Die Ateljee Fred Swart.
The new SAY Swiss Architecture Yearbook is the first of its kind in Switzerland. Jointly edited by the Basel-based Swiss Architecture Museum S AM and the renowned architecture journal werk, bauen+wohnen on behalf of the Stiftung Architektur Schweiz, it reflects the country’s remarkably diverse architectural creation and provides international visibility for the outstanding quality of Swiss architecture and building culture.
Yet SAY is more than a mere selection of the best: it thoroughly examines current topics that concern many people at the time of a construction boom in the country and amid the increasingly felt effects of climate change. From a list of well over a hundred nominees from all parts of the country, 36 projects were selected by an international jury for SAY’s inaugural 2023/24 edition. The featured projects are supplemented by topical essays that look at the most pressing questions in Swiss architecture discourse, at the characteristics of Swiss architecture today, and examine what lasting contribution it makes to the quality of life in all parts of the country.
Future-orientated and exceptional design performances are at the centre of the International Design Award Baden-Württemberg FOCUS OPEN 2023, one of the most renowned German design competitions with an international orientation. This yearbook presents all the award-winning products. The winners come from fields including investment goods, healthcare, bathrooms, kitchens, interiors, lifestyle, lighting, consumer electronics, leisure, building technology, public design, mobility, service design and materials & surfaces.
Text in English and German.
Since 1953, the Kulturkreis der deutschen Wirtschaft im BDI e. V. has awarded the annual ars viva prize for visual arts to outstanding young artists based in Germany. The award honours work that demonstrates a distinct language of form and an awareness of contemporary issues in relation to (cultural) history. This year’s award includes exhibitions at the Goethe-Institut Paris and the Haus der Kunst, Munich. The ars viva prize 2023 will be awarded to Paul Kolling (*1993), Shaun Motsi (*1989) and Leyla Yenirce (*1992).
Text by Emma Enderby, Olamiju Fajemisin, Adina Glickstein, Min-young Jeon, Maximilian Kraus, Thomas Macho, Nicolaus Schafhausen, Nicholas Tammens, Franciska Zólyom
Text in English and German.
Etienne Delessert, born in Lausanne in 1941 and based in Lakeville, Connecticut, made his name as a graphic designer and illustrator in Paris and New York with advertising campaigns and posters, and later gained wide renown for his illustrations, animated films, and paintings. He has illustrated more than 80 books, all of which have become worldwide successes.
Eleonore Peduzzi Riva, born in Basel in 1936, worked as a designer and design consultant for major brands such as Cassina, Artemide, and De Sede. The DS-600 modular sofa of 1972, created in collaboration with Ueli Berger, Heinz Ulrich, and Klaus Vogt, is an expression of her goal to enable people to design their personal habitat.
Chantal Prod’Hom, also born in Lausanne in 1957, founded the Asher Edelman Foundation in the 1990s, where she staged visionary exhibitions featuring little-known artists, and travelled the world in search of design talent for Benetton’s famous Fabrica. Between 2000 and 2022, she directed her native city’s Musée cantonal de design et d’arts appliqués contemporains (mudac). Through her tireless commitment, she shapes and fosters public perception of design.
Switzerland’s Federal Office of Culture has awarded the 2023 Swiss Grand Award for Design to Etienne Delessert, Eleonore Peduzzi Riva, and Chantal Prod’Hom. This book introduces each of them through a concise text and an interview, as well as a brief biography, illustrated with images from their archives.
Text in English, French, German, and Italian.
Today, it seems more urgent than ever to focus more attention in design on the common good. This is because we are faced with the consequences of a design methodology that is geared towards the good of individuals wherever we look. The concept of public value seems ideal as a way of focusing design education more strongly on the common good: Public value is what the public values. It provides an alternative to one-sided orientations such as the shareholder value paradigm.
The iF Design Foundation 2022 has carried out the present study in order to determine the public value of design study programs at German universities. This study provides a basis for encouraging and realising a form of design education in Germany geared towards the common good. This publication also contains a list of all design courses of study at German universities.
The new edition has been shaped by a both turbulent and exciting year. The demand for events and the delight about real experiences were huge. At the same time, war and its economic consequences have been a cause of great concern. The book collects this multitude of formats, from small but accomplished communication forums to virtual specialist conferences and captivating spatial experiences. The result is a realistic cross section of social requirements, current experience formats and difficult framework conditions.
Text in English and German.
The fifth edition of this bestseller celebrates 40 of the most beautiful houses and apartments from all over the world, containing exclusive new projects from renowned architects, interior designers, garden and landscape architects, and experienced professionals.
Published to coincide with Contemporary Living Yearbook 2023 is Timeless Living Yearbook 2023, which emphasises classic and more traditional forms, the integration of antique building materials, wood and natural stone, exclusive fabrics and objects, the restoration of homes and farms.
Both Yearbooks complement each other perfectly and together offer a selection of dozens of recently finished villas, country houses, townhouses and apartments.
Text in English, French, Dutch.
The international fashion world is creative, expressive and impressive. And it is always fast moving. This book is devoted to the best fashion series and photos of the international fashion world of 2022.
A jury of international experts selects from a worldwide selection of the best editorials, covers and campaigns and makes the awards. Additionally, the creative people behind the scenes, such as photographers, stylists, models and make-up artists, are presented in detail.
The Fashion Yearbook 2023 comprehensively includes the fashion highlights and their actors in an impressive illustrated book and is thus a unique standard work in the fashion industry.
The fifth edition of this bestseller, celebrating 40 of the most beautiful houses and apartments from all over the world. The book contains exclusive new projects from renowned architects, interior designers, garden and landscape architects, and experienced professionals from all over the world.
Published to coincide with Timeless Living Yearbook 2023 is Contemporary Living Yearbook 2023, which emphasises contemporary architecture and design.
Both Yearbooks complement each other perfectly and together offer a selection of dozens of recently finished villas, country houses, townhouses and apartments.
Text in English, French and Dutch.
In 2023 the Danner Foundation is honouring exceptional achievements in craft at the Church of the Holy Spirit in Landshut, Germany, with the Danner Prize, four additional honorary awards, and a remarkable exhibition featuring a total of 41 artists.
Gunther Pfeffer received the Danner Prize for his display cabinet Raster. The unit comprises fir slats arranged in a grid, which, depending on the angle of view, reveal what is inside and render the grid visible, or obscure the view and meld into a single surface.
The objects are presented in the publication in large-format photographs and informative descriptions of the concepts. Personal statements by the artists provide insights into their various working methods. To conclude, texts by renowned authors look into the significance and development of handicraft today from different perspectives.
Text in English and German.
This attractive little volume offers a day-by-day guide to the coming year in New York City: cultural events, holidays, historical anniversaries, weather predictions, the night sky, and much more. Each week gets its own page, with enough space to record your own appointments. The almanac’s numerous special features include a municipal horoscope by Janelle Belgrave; weather predictions by the noted meteorological sage Professor Vaticinate; notes on the night sky by Joe Rao, an Associate of the Hayden Planetarium; and style predictions by fashion historian Raissa Bretaña. Charming illustrations by Andrey Kokorin depict the city’s favourite activities, as well as its characteristic foodstuffs and fauna. Printed on creamy, high-quality paper with a sewn binding, this almanac is the perfect guide to all the Big Apple has to offer in 2023. It will make a delightful gift for residents and visitors alike.
As Germany’s design and brand authority, the German Design Council strengthens society’s awareness of design and supports companies in all aspects of their brand and design development. In The Major Brands in Germany 2023, it’s not only the most exciting companies that are presented; Germany’s best brands tell you everything you need to know about this year’s theme “recreate. transform. be resilient.”.
Italian Wines is the English-language version of Gambero Rosso’s Vini d’Italia, the world’s best-selling guide to Italian wine. It is the result of a year’s work by over 60 tasters, coordinated by three curators. They travel around the entire country to taste 45,000 wines, only half of which make it into the guide. More than 2,500 producers have been selected. Each entry brings together useful information about the winery, including a description of its most important labels and price levels in Italian wine shops. Each wine is evaluated according to the Gambero Rosso bicchieri rating, with Tre Bicchieri awarded to the top labels.
The guide is an essential tool for both wine professionals and passionate amateurs around the globe: it provides the instruments for finding one’s way in the complex panorama of Italy’s wine world.
With Wristwatch Annual, collectors have at hand a wealth of information on the latest offerings from today’s most important watch producers, from Swiss mainstays like Rolex and Patek Philippe to the maverick independent brands springing up across Europe and the U.S. The book is arranged alphabetically by producer, and the movement, functions, case, band, price, and variations of each pictured watch are fully described.
This year’s edition, like its predecessors, features a variety of additional articles on independent watchmaking, key personalities in the watch world, and the technical aspects of horology. An illustrated glossary and a primer on watch care help acclimate the reader to the world of fine timepieces.
Forty international projects in six categories present the most innovative and forward-looking solutions, whose contribution to building culture development is clearly evident. The focus is on all the relevant themes of transformation development: use of resources, circular processes, biodiversity etc. The editors take a comprehensive look at current developments in the building sector and inspire novelty. With InteriorPark, they have been driving sustainable developments in the building sector forwards since 2010.
Text in English and German.
Guaymallén is a municipality in the province of Mendoza in Argentina. It was here that La Chola Poblete, Deutsche Bank’s “Artist of the Year” 2023, was born in 1989. The choice to name the exhibition and publication Guaymallén is the artist’s tribute to her roots and a reflection on her queer identity. La Chola Poblete is one of the most renowned Latin American artists. Her work combines biographical and cultural-aesthetic references with fundamental criticism. La Chola engages with the consequences of colonialism and capitalism, especially in the context of the obliteration and stereotyping of Indigenous peoples and cultures.
Text in English, Spanish and German.
Scarcity of resources in all forms is commonly portrayed negatively. Yet these conditions—which have long been a reality in many extreme climate conditions across the global south and are increasingly becoming a global reality—often stimulate an abundance of innovation, inspiration, and ingenuity. Permanence has created a climate crisis, with spaces constructed with non-degradable materials, resource extraction without active replenishment, and buildings designed for a single-eternal use. Our present reality is marked by a global pandemic, violent conflicts, and the looming threat of climate change-induced environmental disasters. This fragile situation is particularly evident in the Global South, where systems, innovations, and structures shaped by imperial and industrial powers through exploitation and extraction of natural resources lack a long-term, sustainable vision. Yet there remains an optimism about the creative possibilities that arise within these constraints.
Field Notes on Scarcity, published in conjunction with the 2023 Sharjah Architecture Triennial, examines what scarcity truly looks like on the ground, and the challenges and opportunities it presents across architecture and design. 60 scholars and practitioners from across the Global South—including Lesley Lokko, Yinka Shonibare, Formafantasma, Rahul Mehrotra, Olalekan Jeyifous, Abeer Seikaly, Ilze and Heinrich Wolff, Chitra Vishwanath, Deema Assaf, and many others—contribute reflections, poems, visual essays, and dialogues exploring what scarcity represents, what it inspires, and what it reveals.
When it comes to sustainable brand presentations, the question is no longer whether we can conserve resources and build green, but how! Sustainability has become a must. But to make circular brand spaces a reality, everyone – from exhibitors to designers to visitors – needs to pull in the same direction. The new issue of the Brand Experience & Trade Fair Design Annual features successful examples that demonstrate an intentional approach to people and the environment – and are inspiring to boot.
Text in English and German.
Architekturbild, the European Architectural Photography Prize, has been awarded on a two-yearly basis since 1995. Numerous synonyms are offered for the term “stopgap”, such as replacement, emergency solution, transitional or interim solution. We all know such expedients from the private environment as well as from public life. The 28 awarded series of EAP 2023 show stopgaps that make us smile tolerantly or thoughtful, they discover imaginative solutions, but they can also point out to shortcomings.
Text in English and German.
Markus Raetz (1941–2020) is widely recognised as one of Switzerland’s most significant contemporary artists. His multifaceted oeuvre includes some 1,500 sculptures, installations, and objects. They are works that make us playfully aware of how strongly our perception of the world depends on the point of view we take.
This bilingual French–German book, published in conjunction with a major Markus Raetz retrospective at the Kunstmuseum Bern in summer 2023, focuses on the artist’s objects and mobiles, most of which have only so far been sporadically on public display. Essays by curator Stephan Kunz and French art historian and curator Didier Semin explore this part of Raetz’s work and place it within the overall context of his art. These are complemented by images newly taken by Swiss photographer Alexander Jaquemet in Raetz’s preserved studio, thus providing a direct insight into the artist’s former working environment.
Text in French and German.
This elegant exhibition catalogue is presented by The San Diego Museum of Art to accompany the 2023 major exhibition O’Keeffe and Moore, which explores the evolution of Modernism through the work of Georgia O’Keeffe and Henry Moore. Featuring essays from prominent scholars, including representatives of both the Henry Moore Foundation and the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, the catalogue’s richly illustrated text delves into each artist’s motivation and methodology, and the parallels between them, in particular, the inspiration both took from nature and organic forms, such as bones and seashells. The publication serves as an essential companion to the exhibition. In addition to explorations of the artists’ studios that provide further insight into their working methods, the catalogue presents drawings, paintings, and sculpture that illustrate the organic roots of Modernism developed independently, yet concurrently, by O’Keeffe and Moore. Thematic sections of the catalogue include the Real and the Surreal; The Artists’ Studios; Bones; Stones; Seashells, Flowers, and Internal/External Forms; and Landscapes of Forms. Essay topics include Henry Moore: Modernism, Nature, and National Identity; “A Revelation of the Perfect Relation”: The Influence of D.H. Lawrence on the work of Henry Moore and Georgia O’Keeffe; and Finding the Form, and the publication will also include a comparative chronology of the lives and careers of the two artists.
The catalogue Tunnel presents works from 2018 to 2023 by ceramicist Johannes Nagel (*1979). The majority of the objects were formed by the artist’s hands digging into sand to form cavities, negative spaces, which were then molded and revealed using liquid porcelain. By doing this, says co-author Esther Niebel, the artist imprints his own presence in to the objects. In addition to the extraordinary shapes thus created, expressive colours and the painting of the objects play a central role in Nagel’s work. Accompanied by essays, the excavated and cast pieces are presented in full-page photographs in a staccato portrayal of objects and ideas.
Text in English and German.
Swiss artist Rochus Lussi, born in 1965, examines the individual’s existence in the mass. Issues of vulnerability, sensitivity, and defensibility are also key topics of his art, for which he mainly employs the mediums of sculpture and installation, but also drawings and performance.
This first monograph on Lussi offers a broad survey of his work from 30 years, featuring small and multi-part installations, wood sculptures, works on paper, and photographs of his performance actions. The human figure is at the core of his early works, yet over time this begins to dissolve, and forms from everyday life, structures, draperies, surfaces of different body worlds come to the fore. The comprehensive visual presentation of Lussi’s oeuvre is supplemented with essays contributed by art historians, curators, and art educators.
Text in English and German.