Series: A+D

London-based Graphic Thought Facility (GTF) has emerged as one of today's most progressive and versatile design firms. Established in 1990, it has a reputation for a nonconformist approach to graphic design. With a handmade aesthetic coupled with a knowledge of digital technology and an interest in new materials and production methods, the firm's output is inventive.This handsomely designed and produced catalogue includes photographs and essays that highlight GTF's most notable projects and commissions, which range from graphic identity to marketing materials to exhibition and catalogue design. Whether providing innovative design materials for London's Institute of Contemporary Arts, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, the Tate Museum, the furniture and interior design store Habitat, or designers such as Ron Arad and Tord Boontje, GTF encourages us to appreciate the visual richness of the world around us.

Konstantin Grcic

by Zoe Ryan

Published 22 December 2009

The hip, functional, and versatile furniture and products of Konstantin Grcic—widely recognized as one of the most important designers working today—are transforming the landscape of contemporary design. This book accompanies the first exhibition in North America of Grcic’s work, highlighting the innovative archetypes of form and concept that have marked his remarkable output since 2004.

Grcic delights in creating fresh takes on familiar industrial objects, whether desks, chairs, benches, stools, a range of kitchen equipment, lamps, a set of salad servers, or Krups coffee makers. In his recent work, he has blended his characteristic simplicity and distinctiveness with the use of new technologies and materials—for example, a cantilevered stacking chair, Myto (2008), is made from a strong, fluid plastic typically used by the automotive industry.

Distributed for the Art Institute of Chicago

Exhibition Schedule:

The Art Institute of Chicago (10/17/09 – 1/10/10)

Fashioning the Object

by Zoe Ryan

Published 29 May 2012

The newest volume in the Art Institute of Chicago's successful A+D series, Fashioning the Object invites readers to visit three of the most visionary design studios at work today: Bless, Boudicca, and Sandra Backlund. Fiercely independent and far-reaching in their influences, these young designers from Berlin, London, Paris, and Stockholm are producing fashion objects that straddle the line between traditional craft and cutting-edge technique, both in their use of materials and in the promotion of their brands.

Zoë Ryan establishes the context for understanding the exciting departures these design houses represent, as the young creators draw inspiration from an array of other disciplines, including architecture, performance, film, and fine art. From Bless's numbered editions, to Boudicca's graffiti-can perfume, to Backlund's ready-to-wear pieces of knitted copper, these designers adapt storied objects to new uses and break old conventions, promulgating their ideas in playful, groundbreaking ways.

Distributed for the Art Institute of Chicago

Exhibition Schedule:

The Art Institute of Chicago04/14/12-09/13/12