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The Language of Things [Hardcover]

Deyan Sudjic
4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)

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Book Description

2 Oct 2008
We live in a world drowning in objects. But what do they tell us about ourselves? In "The Language of Things", Deyan Sudjic charts our relationship - both innocent and knowing - with all things designed. From the opulent excesses of the catwalk, or the technical brilliance of a laptop computer, to the subtle refinement of a desk lamp, he shows how we can be manipulated and seduced by our possessions. Sudjic delivers an exhilarating insider's history of design as he introduces us to the world's most original innovators and reveals the hidden meanings in their work.How did the design of a pistol influence a car? Why did a chair make a cafe the most fashionable place in Paris? What can we learn from a banknote, a police uniform or a typeface? And why can't any of us decide what size to wear our trousers? In an age when the word 'designer' has become synonymous with the cynical and manipulative, Sudjic examines the qualities behind successful design and explores the conflicting tensions between high art and mass production. Brilliant and courageous, "The Language of Things" defines the visual vocabulary of our time and gives us a powerful new way of seeing the world.


Product details

  • Hardcover: 224 pages
  • Publisher: Allen Lane (2 Oct 2008)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1846140056
  • ISBN-13: 978-1846140051
  • Product Dimensions: 2.3 x 13.7 x 20.4 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 642,674 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Product Description

About the Author

Director of the Design Museum, Deyan Sudjic was born in London of Yugoslav parents. Former architecture critic for the Observer and a visiting professor at the Royal College of Art. In Milan, for many years he edited Domus, the international magazine of art, architecture and design. He was Director of the Venice Architecture Biennale in 2002 and is author of The Edifice Complex, the much-praised 100-Miles City, the best-selling Architecture Pack, and monographs on John Pawson, Ron Arad and Richard Rogers.

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Format:Hardcover
I initially bought this book on a bit of a whim for the strange, yet highly interesting and appropriate (to design) content, and, I had seen it featured on the design studio, 'Yes' website, where it had sparked an interest as a rather important and luxurious object.

I am a Graphic Design graduate, and although it doesn't necessarily cover the ground that I'd be used to, covers a lot of design territory and artefacts, with an interesting perspective on the history and avenues in other areas of art and design.

Sudjic, writes from with an enjoyable wit and good values, sparing the academic jargon usually associated with such texts, opening it up to a broad audience, yet it maintains a lot fascinating knowledge that makes it so enjoyable.

Do it, do it now.
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5.0 out of 5 stars New Language 3 April 2009
Format:Hardcover
"The Language Of Things" defines a new and coherent language for design.
Industrial design has sub "text" that Sudjic exposes.
The language that designers speak, or in most cases don't speak but should- is clarified.
A must for working designers.
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