Sir Ken Adam’s art and cinematography celebrated in new book

A visit to Sir Ken Adam’s London home some years ago, an elegant Knightsbridge terrace, was a chance to step into another world, one where faded old-world glamour abutted idiosyncratic modernist touches, with a dizzying collection of cinema memorabilia scattered across every surface, and the air heavy with cigarette smoke. Outside was parked Sir Ken’s faithful Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud I Drophead Coupé, a 1959 model that the art director ultimately owned for 40 years.

Sir Ken Adam died in 2016 at the age of 95. His legacy was vast, transforming the art of production design through grandiose fictional space-making that has fed back, inevitably, into real-world architecture. 

Now, Taschen’s new monograph, The Ken Adam Archive, explores his work and cultural impact, taking a chronological look at his most memorable set designs. Written by Christopher Frayling, the book is richly illustrated with production sketches, behind-the-scenes photographs, and models, and features conversations with Adam about his long career. 

The Ken Adam Archive, Christopher Frayling, edition of 1,200, £850, Taschen.com

The Ken Adam Archive: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang to Bond