The best books for Christmas's presents

Photo courtesy of Seydou Djermakoye (left) and Carlos Bañón Blázquez (right)

“LIVING IN A DREAM. Dreamscapes & artificial architecture” (Gestalten, €40)

A book that celebrates the borderless fantasy and the transformative power of artificial architecture. The limitless ability of the human imagination, coupled with powerful AI tools, has created a possibility to conceive and visualize perfectly realized worlds of dreamy beach houses, utopian skyscrapers, and whimsical interiors. The book transcends conventional boundaries, offering a glimpse into the minds of visionary artists who have dared to dream beyond the ordinary.

Photo courtesy of Mimmo Capurso

NELLE CASE. Milan Interiors 1928-1978 (Hoepli, €120)

Entering the houses of Milan to document the evolution of living spaces. For this bilingual (Italian and English) volume, Enrico Morteo and Orsina Simona Pierini have reviewed over 300 interiors created in Milan over the fifty years since the founding of Domus and Casabella, selecting 225 of them. The result is documented in more than 1,600 images. From the rigor of Rationalism to Postmodernism, and through numerous individual biographies - featuring architects such as Piero Portaluppi, Nanda Vigo, Luigi Caccia Dominioni, Salvati and Tresoldi, Gio Ponti, and Joe Colombo - this work offers an intimate and discreet portrait of Milan. Sometimes predictable, often unexpected.

Photo courtesy of Viaggio in Franciacorta. Un Diario

JOURNEY THROUGH FRANCIACORTA. A DIARY (Treccani, €49)

This volume is a narrative and iconographic journey through the lands of Franciacorta.
The text by Armando Castagno, author, taster, creator and director of in-depth courses throughout Italy for the Italian Sommelier Association, is a novel that accompanies the reader through the places of Franciacorta, enhanced by the photographs taken ad hoc for the volume by photographer Andrea Federici.

Photo courtesy of Burning Man - Desert of dreams

BURNING MAN - DESERT OF DREAMS (Oberon Media, €70)

Prepare to be transported to the heart of the Burning Man’s magic with Desert of Dreams, the photographic masterpiece (with 275 Photos) by Mauro Martignoni. This is more than a limited edition; each page is a window into the captivating, mind-bending moments of this extraordinary event, and every detail is finished with utmost care and precision. A visual journey that is pure and spectacular escapism from reality.

Photo courtesy of Francois Halard

“CABANA ANTHOLOGY: The Anniversary Edition” (Vendome Press, US $100 | GBP £85)

If you agree with Anna Wintour, and Cabana is your favourite interior design magazine, you can’t miss the volume celebrating 10 years of the sought-after and sumptuous six-monthly magazine founded by Martina Mondadori. This sublime book delves into the stories behind a multitude of stunning interiors, offering insights from the designers, collectors, and artists who have contributed to Cabana’s legacy of true artistry and craftsmanship.

Photo courtesy of Nike: from follows motion

“NIKE: FORM FOLLOWS MOTION” (Vitra Design Museum, €59)

A book about the world’s most renowned sports brand, Nike: Form Follows Motion takes its title from the exhibition held at the Vitra Design Museum. It traces Nike’s design history, from its origins in the 1960s to iconic creations such as the Air Max, Flyknit, and Jordan lines, as well as its pivotal role in pop culture. The book also explores Nike's commitment to sustainability and the development of future materials. Interviews with key figures and previously unseen images enrich this extraordinary story.

Photo courtesy of Palermo

“PALERMO” (Franco Maria Ricci, € 75)

Palermo is an open-air museum. From the Phoenicians to the Arabs, from the Normans to the Spaniards: over the centuries, the city has embraced diverse cultures and dominations. Its millennia-long history is written in the streets, buildings, churches, and gardens. This book tells the extraordinary complexity of Palermo: alongside texts that explore its history, major monuments and masterpieces, there are literary walks that span from the poets and writers of the Arab era to the great figures of modern literature. The photographs are by Massimo Listri, Luciano Romano, and Manfredi Gioacchini.
 

Photo courtesy of Mutina for Art

MUTINA FOR ART (Mutina, 39 € each volume)

The MUT publications are the books which accompany the solo and group exhibitions organized by Mutina for Art. Sharing the same format and with cloth binding, the catalogues are realized according to the specific needs of the exhibition projects. From artist books to leporello to classic volumes, the MUT publications include curatorial texts, essays, labels, insights or artists’ interviews, in addition to broad sections dedicated to images of the works, installation views and details.

Photo courtesy of The Aquarium is a listening glass

THE AQUARIUM IS A LISTENING GLASS (Humboldt Books €18)

When used as a listening instrument, a glass is no longer a mere container. Byamplifying sounds and voices through a surface, it becomes a conduit between two seemingly distant environments. Like a glass, aquarium walls implementa material and ontological separation between human and marine creatures. InThe Aquarium is a Listening Glass, nine short stories – set amid scientific archives, underwater research stations, natural history museums, national aquaria and oceanic infrastructure – evoke the glass as a listening device to present singular relationships between humans and fish that would otherwise go unheard.

Photo courtesy of A very vintage Christmas

A VERY VINTAGE CHRISTMAS (Hoxton Mini Press, £18.95)

A nostalgic celebration of the joys of Christmas past, from 1900 through to 1980. A late-Victorian family gather for a charmingly awkward photo around their turkey feast. Women in glamorous fur coats stroke hoisery in a 1950s department store. A little boy opens a wooden rifle under a tree. There are some things about Christmas past that feel a world away. But there are others that aren’t so different after all: lovers swap gifts, children build gingerbread houses and a family ends the day rosy-cheeked and full of cheer. This photographic celebration of Christmas from yesteryear is amusing, surprising but ultimately heartwarming, reminding us of what works best at this time of year: the timeless joy of being together.

Photo courtesy of f Frank Lloyd Wright

FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT (Taschen € 25)

An overview of Frank Lloyd Wright's body of work, featuring the most significant projects resulting from the visionary and revolutionary contributions of America's most renowned architect (1867-1959). Drawing on unrestricted access to the archives of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation at Taliesin West in Arizona, this volume offers an in-depth exploration of his ‘Prairie Houses’ (including the iconic Robie House in Chicago with its low-pitched roof and expansive horizontal windows), as well as extraordinary works like Fallingwater and his later projects in Tokyo. It also examines masterpieces such as the Guggenheim Museum in New York and ‘The Living Gild,’ reflecting Wright’s vision for a more harmonious and improved society through architecture and urbanism.
 

Photo courtesy of 50 Design ideas you really need to know

50 DESIGN IDEAS YOU REALLY NEED TO KNOW (Quercus Books, £9.99)

Master the design ideas that shape the world we live in today. In a series of 50 accessible essays, John Jervis introduces and explains the central movements, inventions and creative geniuses of design, tracing its evolution from the 19th century to the present day. From arts and crafts and typography to key movements such as art deco and Bauhaus, 50 Design Ideas You Really Need to Know is complete introduction to the most important design concepts in history.