The Netherlands at the forefront of design! Everybody is a designer! But why? Why do we colour, organize, and form the world around us - and why do we call that a profession? In this book, Thonik, an Amsterdam-based studio led by lauded designers Nikki Gonnissen and Thomas Widdershoven, researches eleven personal reasons why they design - from the need to create impact to a constant search for independence; from the benefits of systems to the urgency of play. Why We Design looks back on twenty-five years of design practice and speculates on the future of graphic design. SELLING POINTS: * Thonik's collection of works from the past 25 years * The Amsterdam-based studio discusses their past, present, and future need to design.

This comprehensive collection illustrates the world of graphic design country by country, featuring the best graphic designers from all over the world. An amazing reference, this book provides insight into how designers from varied backgrounds approach their work, how different cultures associate communication and creativity in different ways, and how we see this reality used, pushed to its limits, and even completely transformed by design. No matter where you are from, this book will leave you with a broadened awareness of your own visual taste and an in-depth, contextual understanding of graphic design worldwide.

This book looks at the field of fine arts, design and culture as an alternative source of inspiration for ways to work. It is a book about a better future for brand marketing and business leadership, thanks to the dreams and the visions of artists, designers and other creative industry leaders.

This book aims to map out ways of designing and planning products so that their value is sustained and they can be kept in use for a longer time. It tells the story of Vivian, a name that represents any product. The life oF Vivian is traced from preconception, through development, purchase and long period of use, right up to oblivion. Vivian's story is embedded in the information and experiences that the Eternally Yours Foundation has gathered over the past years, culminating in the 'Time in design' conference organized in October 2003 in cooperation with the Long Now Foundation. This book includes most of the lectures by, among many others, Ezio Manzini, Brian Eno, Gustaf Beumer and John Thackara - introduction.

Presenting one's portfolio is where every designer begins his or her career. Therefore, crafting a portfolio, whether online or for presentation in person, is an essential skill for survival. Because a portfolio can make or break a career, it is vital that designers go out armed with all the right moves and materials. This book talks both to the professionals who have both designed their own portfolios and those on the other side of the table who have looked at scores of portfolios, to uncover the tips and tricks that have won jobs, as well as the must-avoid moves that have lost opportunities. This book is not only a handbook for dos and don'ts; it also provides plenty of inspiration from a wide collection of portfolios, both virtual and real-life. This book asks leaders in the field about the real-world realities of presenting one's work for consideration and answers the question, "What sells and what doesn't."

1000 More Graphic Elements is the follow-up to the extremely successful 1000 Graphic Elements, published in 2004. This edition features 1000 new unique graphic embellishments across all kinds of projects, from books to brochures, invitations to calendars to annual reports. It is often the smallest detail that can turn a project from ordinary to spectacular. Inspiration will be at your fingertips with examples of specialty processes such as diecutting and embossing, unique materials, fasteners, specialty inks, binders and more.

Big Brand Theory is a spectacular best of compilation featuring the highest-profile branding campaigns and providing an invaluable resource guide for those wishing to understand the key elements of a successful brand. Case studies for key players such as Adidas, Colette, Converse, Starbucks, H & M, Nike, Isse Miyake, Lacoste, Levis, Thonik, UNIQLO, and many more illustrate the crucial design elements essential to crafting a youthful and dynamic corporate identity. Examination of each branding concept is multi-faceted, with examples devoted to not just one, but many elements utilized in major campaigns: for example, Nikes featured campaigns include individual product packaging, posters, store displays, athletic wear, retail bags and boxes, corporate giveaways, and high-end designer products and gifts. Richly illustrated, Big Brand Theory is an indispensable guide through a variety of industries to reveal what really works in the world of branding.

The Why Factory is a global think-tank and research institute, run by MVRDV and Delft University of Technology and led by professor Winy Maas. The Why Factory's Future Cities research programme explores possibilities for the development of our cities by focusing on the production of models and visualizations for cities of the future"--Book Jacket

Dutch international cultural policy is unusually generous, an international exemplar. And it has recently become the subject of heated debate at home. Though there are no plans to cut back, there are questions: the government's primary role has been providing favorable conditions for a highly varied collection of individual artists and arts institutions. Should a firmer hand be taken? Should the policy be more results-oriented? Should political, economic or societal considerations be involved or is culture an independent sphere of public duty? In All That Dutch, art professionals, academics and policy-makers--including Aaron Betsky--share their insights and views on this subject along four themes: culture and politics, culture and the economy, international reflection and cultural profiling. PLUS: the design of this reader is very cool: each essay comes with a 4 x 6 inch four-page artists' illustration booklet bound in--and it actually works.