Brooklyn Modern: Architecture, Interiors & Design

by Diana Lind, Yoko Inoue (Photographer), Robert Ivy (Contributor)

Brooklyn Modern is the first book to explore the connection between Brooklyn€™s astounding rebirth and its emerging architecture. As the new cultural heart of New York, Brooklyn has recently attracted many young people interested in creating their own sense of space, as well as in renovating brownstones and townhouses. The results are homes that express the optimism, resourcefulness, and experimentation of many of Brooklyn€™s bohemian residents. Cutting-edge new public buildings have also enhanced the area€™s cachet.Working with spatial and financial restraints, architects in Brooklyn have demonstrated deft solutions to urban living everywhere. Likewise, the architects working in Brooklyn are no longer just local firms, but "star-chitects" such as Frank Gehry, Richard Meier, and David Adjaye, among others. Essays by two very popular bloggers, Grace Bonney of Design*Sponge and Jonathan Butler of Brownstoner, give perspective on new ways of living as aesthetics and landscape

Genres: Architecture, Design, New York, Nonfiction, Interior Design

226 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2008

Reviews

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this. I mean ... Sue is on the cover and I'm addicted to Lena Corwin's blog but ... flop. I shouldn't even give it three stars but you can tell how badly I wanted to like it by that. The thing is that half the pictures are way too dark and all of them are printed on the flattest matte paper you ever saw and it turns out that photos really do need glossy pages.

Mostly it reminded me of Kate's photos of their Nest shoot in which the magazine pulls up with a 34 foot RV and a U-Haul. If you don't have a whole crew of stage managers carting your things out to a U-Haul every morning, you have to live with your things.

Big concepts:

1) Don't have any stuff. Stuff isn't modern.

2) Have custom bookshelves made.

The end.

[Dar · Rating 5 out of 5]

A photo book about the renaissance of Brooklyn neighbourhoods into hipster havens. It shows how the areas used to look, how homes were restored with attention to retaining the built-in charming features such as mouldings and parquet floors, and how new in-fill homes were built in sympathy with the character of the streetscapes. Brooklyn (Williamsburg, Park Slope et al) seems over-exposed now, but the book brings us back to how it got that way. If you like city living, this book is drool-worthy. The creativity of the architects and homeowners wowed me!

[jonathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

with awesome photos by yoko!

[Karen Burgess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great shelter book! Read more here: http://literarylunchbox.wordpress.com...

[Lexi Wright · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book made me feel bad about my life. And then I felt bad for feeling bad. So I returned it early to the library.

[Dave N'renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

badly in need of a good photographer