by Continuing our 2022 review, we look at 11 turning pages on design and architecture published this year, including a volume about the century’s best British homes and a “cookbook” of experimental food designs.
The selected titles represent many of the key themes and hot-button issues of the past 12 months, from the role of destruction in the face of climate change to the lack of LGBTQ+ equality in the design industry.
Here are Dezeen’s 11 best books of 2022:
21st Century Homes by Dominic Bradbury
This book profiles the “best of the best” modern English homes, from House on the Hill by Alison Brooks to ACME’s gravel-covered Bumpers Oast residence (pictured above and below) modeled on traditional Kentish hop drying ovens.
Their past stories are illustrated with over 300 photos, plans and sketches, along with an extensive list of tips for homeowners looking to hire an architect to build their own 21st century home.
Learn more about 21st Century Homes ›
Circular Design for Fashion by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation
This book by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation shares practical insights from more than 88 global brands and designers on how fashion can be designed for a circular economy.
“All contributors to the book go beyond designing aesthetically appealing, durable products with sustainably sourced materials and incorporate community, place and design aspects for a better system,” editor Elodie Rousselot told Dezeen.
Learn more about Circular Design for Fashion ›
On the Street: Among Architecture by Edwin Heathcote
This book pays homage to the small but mighty field of street furniture, from phone booths to 5G poles, and its huge impact on how we experience our towns and cities.
Writer and architecture critic Edwin Heathcote describes how these seemingly minor interventions have impacted public life throughout history, such as when street lighting ushered in the birth of nightlife.
Learn more about on the street ›
Work From The Hut by Hoxton Mini Press
A erected shed (pictured) for pottery production and a photo studio with corrugated plastic walls are featured in this book, which profiles garden studios, garages and sheds from around the world.
The book is a response to the more fluid way of working brought about by the coronavirus pandemic and the associated curfews.
“Working from home is so personal that it gives so much more expression to what a workspace might look like,” said Martin Usborne, the book’s creative director. “We wanted to explore and celebrate that.”
Learn more about Work From Shed›
Anthropocene Cookbook by Zane Cerpina and Stahl Stenslie
As climate change begins to threaten the food security of the world’s growing population, artists Zane Cerpina and Stahl Stenslie have created an anthology of experimental food designs that imagine how humanity could feed itself going forward.
Recommendations range from artificial organs inhabited by algae (pictured) to whiskey made from urine, to encourage creative thinking about the existential challenges facing humanity.
Learn more about the Anthropocene Cookbook ›
Council House, Jack Young
Close to 70 examples of London’s “most innovative and iconic” town halls have been captured in this book by photographer Jack Young, who hopes to challenge the negative stereotypes surrounding these underappreciated buildings.
“They’re often depicted in black and white photographs,” Young told Dezeen. “Or on a dark, wet night, as the gritty backdrop for a television series.”
Learn more about the Capitol ›
Queer Spaces, Adam Nathaniel Furman and Joshua Mardell
Released as the UK celebrates the 50th anniversary of Pride celebrations, this atlas describes the design of 90 different LGBTQ+ spaces from around the world, from a Sheffield working-class pub to a gay-turned-gay sauna to a windowless home for a gay couple. Designed in Japan to keep prying eyes out.
“Queer Spaces is an accessible new history for a field of architecture that has been ridiculed, marginalized and rejected for too long,” said London designer Adam Nathaniel Furman and historian Joshua Mardell, co-authors of the book.
Learn more about Queer Spaces ›
Rocky Mountain Modern by John Gendall
Written by American architectural critic John Gendall, this book showcases contemporary examples of Rocky Mountain modernism, a residential style influenced by the modern architectural movement and the unique geography of North America’s tallest mountain ranges.
Selected projects address pressing environmental concerns such as water conservation, habitat protection, and energy management, while representing the diverse landscapes of the region ranging from Golden, New Mexico to Golden, British Columbia.
Learn more about Rocky Mountain Modern ›
Building for Change, Ruth Lang
The feasibility of demolitions and carbon waste in the face of the climate crisis has been a hotly debated topic this year, and high-profile cases such as the M&S Oxford Street reconstruction have been fought over.
In her book Building for Change, author Ruth Lang addresses the issue of reusing existing buildings, highlighting projects that have proven that renovations don’t have to be boring, including Heatherwick Studio’s conversion of a Cape Town granary into an art gallery. in the picture).
“I hope clients and building owners are convinced that reuse does not adversely affect the overall quality and creativity of the proposed scheme and can instead have a financial and environmental bonus,” he told Dezeen.
Learn more about Building for Change ›
Video Game Atlas by You + Pea
From Fornite to Assassin’s Creed, this book by research studio You + Pea examines how video game architecture can shape gamers’ gaming experience through illustrations and playful diagrams like those typically found in 20th-century architecture publications.
“In many cases, architecture is extremely important,” the studio said. “Dark Souls uses carefully planned circulation routes, lighting conditions, and transitions from tight spaces to open spaces to increase tension in the player.”
“The architecture also helps to embed the player character into the story and the surrounding culture of the world, creating a lifelike and immersive experience while also pointing to the limits – what we can and cannot do in the world.”
Learn more about Video Game Atlas ›
Birmingham: The Brutal Years, by Sharonjit Sutton
With brutalist developments in the UK that are in danger of collapse, such as the city center of Cumbernauld, Scotland, this book aims to celebrate the few notable examples of the modern architectural style still standing in Birmingham.
Published by The Modernist Society, the book features articles on 22 eye-opening brutalist buildings in the city, many of which are still under threat, from the Central Library to the Repertory Theatre.
Learn more about Birmingham: The Brutiful Years ›
