Book news: flick through February's titles

Martin Creed
(Image credit: press)

Martin Creed: What's the Point of It?
With essays by Bill Bailey, Cliff Lauson, Paul Morley and Joachim Pissarro

Renowned British conceptual artist Martin Creed divides the audience neatly between those who consider his installations to have a healthy self-conscious dose of wit - a rare quality in the art world - and those that consider his conceptualism to be critically overrated. We fall into the first camp, and this new tome, released to coincide with the artist's first major London retrospective, conveys the scale and intentional absurdity of Creed's oeuvre.

Published by Hayward Publishing, £25

Writer: Jonathan Bell

Work No. 1357: Mother

A spread from the book showing 'Work No. 1357: Mothers', by Martin Creed.

(Image credit: Mark Colliton)

A protrusion from a wall

'Work No. 135: A protrusion from a wall', 1996 (left) and 'Work No. 142: A large piece of furniture partially obstructing a door', 1996-2002 (right), both by Martin Creed.

(Image credit: Mark Colliton)

Half the air in a given space

'Work No. 200: Half the air in a given space', 1998, by Martin Creed.

(Image credit: Mark Colliton)

Rabih Hage London: Selected Work
Edited by William Collins

This mini monograph celebrates the 12th anniversary of London-based architect Rabih Hage, best known as the originator of the Rough Luxe Hotel and the man who almost single-handedly ushered in a new wave of eclectic interior design. The firm has also built everything from beach houses to relief shelters and avant-garde furniture.

Published by Rabih Hage, £25

Writer: Jonathan Bell

Rabih Hage London


(Image credit: press)

Rough Luxe Hotel

From the book: Rough Luxe Hotel, London, 2008. Rabih Hage coined the term 'rough luxe' himself, and used it to inspire the fascinating blend of simplicity and bareness with contemporary opulence in this project.

(Image credit: Marcus Peel)

The Old Rectory

The Old Rectory, Oxfordshire, 2009. The guiding principles for this project were clean lines, subtle colours and uncluttered spaces.

(Image credit: Marcus Peel)

Great Portland

Great Portland, London, 2006. The challenge was to modernise the space without losing the drama and history of the existing building.

(Image credit: Brian Benson)

Library kiosk at Guildford Hotel

Library kiosk at Guildford Hotel, Radisson Edwardian, Surrey, 2011.

(Image credit: Marcus Peel)

City Cycling
By Andrew Edwards and Max Leonard

American cycling brand Rapha's full set of City Cycling guides is now available in a neat box set. Written by Max Leonard and Andrew Edwards and published by Thames & Hudson, the books cover the two-wheeled delights of eight European cities, including bike-centric metropolises like Amsterdam and Antwerp. Mixing the all-important maps with precise, vintage-tinged illustrations, these guides aren't just designed to slip into your saddlebags but to be perused at leisure before you head out and clip into your pedals.

Published by Thames & Hudson, £25

Writer: Jonathan Bell

City Cycling

(Image credit: press)

From the book: an illustration from the Paris volume by Louis Thomas

From the book: an illustration from the Paris volume by Louis Thomas

(Image credit: press)

Illustration from the Barcelona volume by Judy Kaufmann

Illustration from the Barcelona volume by Judy Kaufmann

(Image credit: press)

Illustration from the Ghent volume

Illustration from the Ghent volume

(Image credit: Sebastiaan van Doninck)

Fuksas Object
By Massimiliano and Doriana Fuksas

Massimiliano and Doriana Fuksas are two of Italy's foremost architects with their major airports, exhibition centres and offices blocks casting elaborately glassy shadows across the modern Italian city. Fuksas Object is a companion piece to an earlier Actar monograph on the couple's studio, this time focusing on the multitude of subsidiary designs produced for their many projects, including lighting, furniture and bespoke components.

Published by Actar, €35

Writer: Jonathan Bell

Fuksas Object

(Image credit: press)

Deep Purple

A spread from the book showing 'Deep Purple' for Milan Triennale, 2008. courtesy archivio Fuksas

(Image credit: Francesco Colarossi)

Theresia

'Theresia' coffee machine for Victoria Arduino, 2013.

(Image credit: Roberto Mazzola)

Armani Chater House

Armani Chater House, Hong Kong, 2002.

(Image credit: Ramon Prat)

Carolina

'Carolina' lounge chair for Poltrona Frau, 2008.

(Image credit: Pietro Carrieri)

Harry Seidler: Lifework
By Vladimir Belogolovsky

Australian architect Harry Seidler was the flag bearer for Antipodean modernism. In a career that spanned nearly 60 years, the Viennese-born architect re-shaped the Australian skyline, bringing a very personal vision of hard-edged design to the country. Seidler spent his formative years working around the world with the masters of modern architecture - Gropius, Breuer, Albers and Niemeyer - before making his mark with a house he designed for his mother in 1950. Lifework traces the architect's career all the way from such early houses to the host of towers, galleries and embassies that grace Australia's major cities and beyond.

Published by Rizzoli, $75

Writer: Jonathan Bell

Harry Seidler: Lifework

(Image credit: press)

The Riverside Centre

From the book: The Riverside Centre, Brisbane, 1986.

(Image credit: John Gollings)

The Ian Thorpe Aquatic Centre

The Ian Thorpe Aquatic Centre, Sydney, 2007.

(Image credit: Eric Sierens)

The Hong Kong Club

The Hong Kong Club, Hong Kong, 1984.

(Image credit: John Gollings)

Platform 6 GSD
Edited by Rosetta S Elkin

Harvard's Graduate School of Design is one of the world's pre-eminent centres of emerging creative work. Platform provides an annual roundup of the latest conceptual work coming out of the school, as well as interviews with visiting lecturers and a preface by the school's dean, Mohsen Mostafavi.

Published by Actar and Harvard Graduate School of Design, €30

Writer: Jonathan Bell

Platform 6 GSD

(Image credit: press)

a model by Aanya Chugh and Lik Hang Gu

From the book: a model by Aanya Chugh and Lik Hang Gu

(Image credit: press)

A model exploring the concept of urban utopias

A model exploring the concept of urban utopias, part of the 'Utopioids / The Generic Sublime IV' project led by Harvard professor Ciro Najle

(Image credit: press)

VistaJet: The Illustrated Story
By Simona Rabinovitch

Limited to just 3000 copies, this neat little brand book from Swiss business-jet company, VistaJet, is illustrated throughout by the French artist Jean-Philippe Delhomme. VistaJet are our favourite purveyors of transport on demand, thanks to their consistently high visual standards. In its first decade, the company has commissioned fashion designers and artists to make their jet interiors stand out from the rest. As for getting hold of a copy? We suggest you make a reservation.

Published by VistaJet International Ltd

VistaJet: The Illustrated Story

(Image credit: Jean-Philippe Delhomme)

An illustration of VistaJet's cabin interiors

From the book: an illustration of VistaJet's cabin interiors and passengers

(Image credit: Jean-Philippe Delhomme)

Airport space

'Thomas, can we please hire your plane?',

(Image credit: Jean-Philippe Delhomme)

The mushroom effect

'The mushroom effect',

(Image credit: Jean-Philippe Delhomme)

Melina Keays is the entertaining director of Wallpaper*. She has been part of the brand since the magazine’s launch in 1996, and is responsible for entertaining content across the print and digital platforms, and for Wallpaper’s creative agency Bespoke. A native Londoner, Melina takes inspiration from the whole spectrum of art and design – including film, literature, and fashion. Her work for the brand involves curating content, writing, and creative direction – conceiving luxury interior landscapes with a focus on food, drinks, and entertaining in all its forms