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As the location for reception and waiting, the hotel lobby is the most important and prestigious area of a hotel. This is where the first contact is made with the guests, anything that happens here has a strong influence on whether their stay will be enjoyed.

The chalet of today is a far cry from the original herdsman s hut. Its triumphant ascent to elegant mountain mansion, frequently used as a holiday getaway by the societal elite, began in the 19th century. Its allure today is unbroken. As a place of relaxation and retreat from the day-to-day, chalets are being built in mountainous regions around the world. The chalet derives its charm from the combination of the architectural and the surrounding nature. Instead of simply fitting into the landscape by necessity, the dwellings draw it in. In this way a unique formal language emerges. This volume displays the charm of nature, while winning over the viewer with contemporary designs, which range from the classical wooden house with flat gabled roof, to the high-tech mountain hut.

Since the origin of the villa culture in ancient times, the term villa has been invested with a special magic. Seen formerly as a genteel country estate and companion piece to city palace, today this type of dwelling is represented more as a refined, noble, free standing house. The villa is the gleaming diamond of housing construction, the expression of distinguished living style and elevated standard of living. For an architect, the planning or reconstruction of a villa represents the exciting challenge of a new interpretation of a classical building task, guided by their own, special ideas. This volume portrays famous architects as well as exciting works by younger architecture firms. The international selection shows the manifold and intriguing spectrum of contemporary architecture.

The concept of taking the existing material as an idea is what is behind the expression Rough Interiors . The building and rooms are taken as they are and the traces of the past are preserved in the sense of remaining visible, into which the design concept is integrated. Old shells are given a new life with the aid of very different design interventions. It is the breaks, contrasts and contradictions instead of perfect harmony and smooth surfaces which characterise these works. The interiors presented range from low-budget to luxury projects. A fascinating interplay between past and present emerges in the interplay of rough ceilings, un-plastered walls and visible concrete beams together with creative re-use ideas, modern materials and innovative form language.

After the success of Architectural Visions, with its focus on German speaking countries, this follow-up volume is devoted to the individual handwriting of architects and designers from around the world. As computer aided design becomes ever more prevalent, the handmade drawing is going through a Renaissance. In its characteristic touch it often shows much more clearly which aesthetic impression the planned building finally leaves behind than any number of computer aided visualisation techniques. What is striking here is the concentration on the main characteristics of the buildings, which in turn mark the appearance. In contrast, in the rendering, the love of detail and alleged approximation of reality often overshadows those characteristics. This volume unifies the most varied painting and drawing techniques, counterposing realized drafts to photos of the execution, so that the viewers can recreate for themselves the connection between architectural will and effect.

Elegant, innovative or even extravagant design can hardly exist on its own today. The ecological and sustainable design of products is the argument that clinches the sale especially where one is prepared to pay something more for design. That principal applies as well to the manufacture of products, for example those which are resource sparing, as well as their application, if they are low-emission and finally their disposal, if they are compostable. Green Design, Vol. 2 shows the most varied strategies of environmentally compatible design. Especially notable is the recycling of unusual materials, fair production and fair trade, low-emission use and finally the principal of conversion instead of disposal.

Sustainability has become one of the main key phrases and goals of our time. Environmentally compatible methods of construction and products are hotly sought after especially when they are appealingly designed. The concept of Green Design includes products from completely different areas of living and completely different aspects of environmentally compatible and sustainable design. Green Design, Vol. 1 presents products that are not only "green" but which also show good "design": beautiful and functional objects of day to day life, which are distinguished by certain principals of environmental compatibility. Among them are environmentally compatible raw materials, production and disposal, energy efficient or energy independent use, and fair production.

Combining sustainability with trendsetting design is one of the great challenges of contemporary architecture. Resource sparing living space is one of the most important themes. In addition to the increased consciousness of the interactions between the human being, his built environment and eco system, the desire to leave behind an intact environment worth living in for the next generation and to fashion a healthy environment for oneself are also factors gaining in economic significance. Depending on the building project and its circumstances, different procedures and techniques of ecological building may be applied. Building orientation, shape, the type of materials and building services used must be weighed against each other. This publication shows the great variety of possibilities with the established technologies as well as newer experimental approaches.

Green areas of all kinds have gained significance for contemporary urban planning. In addition to the importance for the structure and appearance of urban spaces, these areas have very different social, ecological and economic functions. For instance, they can serve as relaxation and communication rooms, or as habitats for flora and fauna they can have an extremely positive influence on the micro-climate, not to mention the increasing attention they receive from the real estate business as a factor in site evaluation. This volume presents a broad spectrum of green areas from around the world, like urban parks, green facades, public gardens and green city squares. The interplay of international trends, regional characteristics and local traditions is especially interesting. The selection of projects shows the various tendencies of this discipline at the junction of landscape architecture and urban planning.

The demands placed on office spaces and office buildings have intensified considerably in the 21st century through the digital revolution and the new realities of the internet age.

Product packaging is much more than just a kind of container made of glass, wood oder plastic protecting its contents: it is also the face of the product. Like the facade of a building, the package gives an impression of what lies behind it.

Creating layered living spaces in apartment buildings houses one of the most important and multifaceted tasks for contemporary architects worldwide.

Protection has always been the most genuine function of architecture. In the context of global warming one of the most needed type of protection is from and against the sun. This necessity has led to an impressive creative outburst of amazing technology.

Beach Houses features a stunning array of the most ambitious examples of residential design at the sea. From a minimalist dwelling on a remote island to an apartment complex high aboce the sea to a luxurious holiday villa in an urban setting this, this volume brings together a collection of remarkable houses designed by well-known architectural firms as well as interesting approaches by local architects. The contemporary beach houses from across the world featured in this volume harmoniously adapt to the surrounding landscape while embracing the seaside lifestyle with sumptuous interiors and outdoor living spaces and balancing casual-cool and opulence. They answer today s aesthetic, functional and ecological demands, while at the same time underscoring the uniqueness of the seaside location.

Public urban spaces vary widely in type, form and size, encompassing plazas, squares and streetscapes. They serve pedestrians and flaneurs, accommodate street life in all its vibrant variations and represent the cities and towns themselves. On the one hand they are transit spaces or crossroads, while on the other hand they provide opportunities to linger or stage events. This volume features recent projects from all continents, showing the different approaches and solutions to this sophisticated design task at the intersection of architecture, landscape design and urban planning. Hardly any other area of spatial design offers so much freedom and such functional and formal diversity as does the design of urban spaces.

This is a celebration and homage to the home as the focal point of the private sphere at a time when our privacy is increasingly getting public. This title showcases a global spectrum of exceptional interior designs, ranging from the charm of the old to contemporary styles and timeless furnishing. The presented living spaces testify to the great variety of inspirational design possibilities for apartments and houses, lofts and villas. As such, this volume is an inexhaustible source of ideas, taking the reader on a varied tour of vivid and multifunctional domestic interior designs all across the world.