Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1184216
R E S O U R C E S X-RAY ARCHITECTURE BY BEATRIZ COLOMINA Beatriz Colomina's latest book to investigate the relationship between architecture and media broaches the subject through the lens—or screen—of the X-ray. This new form of medical imaging technology was introduced in the fi rst decades of the 20th century, around the same time that Modern architecture emerged. "Modernity was driven by illness," writes Colomina, who explores the extent to which key Modernists—such as Le Corbusier and Alvar and Aino Aalto— were obsessed with medical discourse and notions of public health. Colomina's argument is helpfully guided by the inclusion of over 260 images that serve to both illuminate the impact of the clinic on modern design and blur easy distinctions between the interior and exterior of bodies and buildings alike. DESIGNING JAPAN: A FUTURE BUILT ON AESTHETICS BY KENYA HARA As Art Director for Muji, Japanese graphic designer Kenya Hara and his aesthetic of pared-back, beautifully functional objects has taken the world by storm. The book spans history, from the beginnings of professional Japanese design in the 16th century to the impact of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake. But Hara's real focus is on the future. Hara draws on more than three decades of work in design and exhibition curating, as well his professional interactions with creators from many fi elds. Designing Japan off ers a foundation course on the essence of Japanese aesthetics, while maintaining a practical approach to Japan's circumstances and future possibilities. SYRIA MATTERS BY RANIA ABDELLATIF, JULIA GONNELLA, KAY KOHLMEYER Syria Matters explores fi ve periods of Syria's history, featuring examinations of key locations and presenting more than 120 objects, including some of the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha's greatest collection highlights, such as the famous Cavour vase, as well as signifi cant national and international loans. Syria Matters off ers a deep understanding of the cultural contribution of Syrian art and a recognition of how the ongoing destruction aff ects everyone.