ARQUITECTURA Y DISEÑO

The Case Study House program (1945–1966) was an exceptional, innovative event in the history of American architecture and remains to this day unique. The program, which concentrated on the Los Angeles area and oversaw the design of 36 prototype homes, sought to make available plans for modern residences that could be easily and cheaply constructed during the postwar building boom. The program’s chief motivating force was Arts & Architecture editor John Entenza, a champion of modernism who had all the right connections to attract some of architecture’s greatest talents, such as Richard Neutra, Charles and Ray Eames, and Eero Saarinen. Highly experimental, the program generated houses that were designed to redefine the modern home, and had a pronounced influence on architecture―American and international―both during the program’s existence and even to this day. TASCHEN brings you a retrospective of the entire program with comprehensive documentation, brilliant photographs from the period and, for the houses still in existence, contemporary photos, as well as extensive floor plans and sketches.

Renowned interior designer and tastemaker Charlotte Moss celebrates flowers and offers endless inspiration in their use as glorious additions to decorating, entertaining, and everyday living. Charlotte Moss encourages readers to bring the garden indoors--with ideas for arranging flowers, selecting containers, and placing blossoms around the house. An inviting cluster of blooms on a guest room's bedside table, lavish floral displays for parties and holidays, single stems adding life to any corner of a room--Moss has been photographing her flower arrangements for over a decade. This book is a celebration of her artistry and a testament to flowers as part of day-to-day life. From Moss's grander displays in the city to her more informal and breezy creations at her home in the country, as well as in the refined interiors of her clients, the visual result is a chronicle of the myriad ways flowers provide inspiration--indoors and out. Readers will be further motivated as Moss describes the contributions of past tastemakers: Gloria Vanderbilt for her ingenious use of floral patterns in her licensed products, Pauline de Rothschild for her fantastic tablescapes, Bunny Mellon for her profusive use of topiaries, Constance Spry for the use of inventive containers and for her groundbreaking artistry, and Lady Bird Johnson for her embrace of the simple, exquisite wildflower. With nature as her muse, Moss implores us to create the backdrop for a life well lived, imbuing every day with flair, beauty, and elegance.

The works of Christo and Jeanne-Claude are monuments of transience. Gigantic in scale, they are always temporary, created to exist only for a limited time and to leave unique, unrepeatable impressions. “From the smallest of the Packages made in Paris in the early 1960s, to the delicate pattern of hundreds of branches embraced by a translucent fabric veil... in Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s works there is nothing abstract, nothing imagined; it is all there―corporeal and tangible.” (Lorenza Giovanelli)

The call of the wild has never looked as stylish as in these homes nestled in the French countryside, crafted by families pursuing a new form of country living. A manor next to an elegant seventeenth-century castle in a picturesque village, a restored four-hundred-year-old windmill, or a ruin in the Barbizon forest transformed into a contemporary timber house—our trio of authors saw the potential in these rural homes and took the leap into a life rhythmed by nature. But how did these urban dwellers step away from the glamour of Paris, and why haven’t they looked back? A calmer life enriched by its surroundings, with more space at home, a burgeoning garden, and a relaxed ambiance is a seductive combination. But a country house is different from a cozy apartment, just steps from modern conveniences. In their search for a deeper experience, they embarked on a long-term project that required planning and effort, but it brought unexpected joy along with the challenges. Life in the countryside takes adjustment and there is much to be learned—from furnishing and organizing your home to getting the most from nature and your garden, and from dressing to suit your new setting to hosting relaxed soirées where you’ll linger over dinner with your guests. This is the art of countryfication. Alongside portraits of similar-minded individuals and families who have adopted country living, this book provides insight, practical advice, and recipes that celebrate life in the countryside, all while retaining a Parisian flair.