Thomas Heatherwick: Making

'Heatherwick is Leonardo da Vinci of our times' Sir Terence Conran. Still just two decades into his career, British designer Thomas Heatherwick has been heralded as one of the most original creative talents for many decades. He has produced everything from sculptural chairs forged from the world's largest aluminium extruder, to a bridge that rolls open and closed and an exuberant seed bank, 'hairy' with fibre-optic lights (the award-winning UK Pavilion at the 2010 Shanghai Expo). This book is the first to present an exhaustive survey of his studio's output to date: over 140 projects. Long in development, it has been prepared in close collaboration with Heatherwick himself, offering a highly personal, in-depth and behind-the-scenes look at all aspects of Heatherwick's creative, design and manufacturing processes. Projects are organized chronologically and bookended by an introduction setting out the studio's philosophy and a reference section. Each project is fully illustrated and accompanied by a text explaining, in Heatherwick's own words, the particular design challenge it posed and the creative and practical processes used to address it.

THOMAS HEATHERWICK holds a degree in three-dimensional design from the Royal College of Art, London, and established Heatherwick Studio in 1994. He is an honorary fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects and the recipient of honorary doctorates from four British universities. He was awarded the Prince Philip Designers Prize and, in 2006, was the youngest practitioner to be appointed a Royal Designer for Industry.