In this, the twenty-first edition of the leading international showcase of domestic design, guest editor and acclaimed Spanish designer Patricia Urquiola surveys the best furniture, lighting, tableware, textile and product designs of the last two years. Her eclectic selection ranges from futuristic kitchen products to chandeliers glowing and moving like jellyfish to wallpaper ripe with political imagery. The latest technologies are also featured, including a pen-shaped, Art Deco cellular phone from Nokia, the newest wireless music centers from Sonos and Phillips, and Apple's most recent i-Pod variations and accessories.
Each object is illustrated with the superb photography that has helped earn the series its excellent reputation. In addition, full technical information, including a web address, is provided for each entry. Introductions by the editors provide insight into both the selection and the trends and issues currently influencing the design world. Designers whose work is featured in the book include key luminaries such as Ron Arad, Tord Boontje, Andrea Branzi, Tom Dixon, Zaha Hadid, Ross Lovegrove, Ingo Maurer, Jasper Morrison, Gaetano Pesce, Karim Rashid, Richard Sapper, Philippe Starck and Marcel Wanders. A biography is provided for each designer.
Karim Rashid was born in Cairo. He established his own practice in New York in 1993, working for clients including Prada, Sony, Issey Miyake and Umbra. His book I Want to Change the World was published in 2001. Jennifer Hudson is an editor and researcher in the fields of contemporary architecture and design.