Emerging during the mid-1940s, the mid-century era in architecture represented a clear break from the ornamental flourishes that had defined the Victorian era and subsequent exploration of Art Nouveau. The architect Philip Johnson paved the way for the movement with his modernist designs in 1932, with Le Corbusier and Walter Gropius among the other pioneers dedicated to its rational and minimalistic design philosophy. The new book from luxury book publisher gestalten, Modernist Icons, brings together many striking examples of the style in a comprehensive volume that showcases this structural innovation. 

Featuring sharp and vibrant photographs that capture the use of space and light, Modernist Icons is a true centerpiece coffee table book for any art and architecture lover. The refined elegance and classical lines and forms of modernist architecture shine through with the many case study designs worldwide. These range from the Japanese-inspired Eames House to the Harper House, which introduces palm trees and allows their organic forms to intertwine playfully with the modernist residence.

A series of informative and insightful essays from the leading architecture experts complement each entry, placing the designs into their historical context and expounding on the history and legacy. The content is presented in a beautiful full-color and stitch-bound hardback edition, with over three hundred pages dedicated to this unique period of design evolution.

Modernist Icons is another publishing victory for gestalten publishers and is required reading for aspiring architects and anyone else looking for home interior and exterior inspiration.

In case you missed it, check out the Carl Hansen & Søn CH07 Shell Chair 60th Anniversary Edition.