Search results for ""Balance""

At the present stage of development of the higher education system, psychological support of students' professional development is relevant and necessary. It will improve the quality of their training as future specialists. There is a need for a holistic approach to providing psychological support for all participants in the educational process of the University: students, their parents and teachers. There are few scientific publications on modern psychological service in education. First of all, because this topic is more likely applied than theoretical or methodological. However, this book discloses the issues and problems of the theory and methodology of psychological service in educational institutions. The authors of the monograph relied on the model of analysis of mental development proposed by N. Semago and M. Semago, thanks to which it becomes possible to analyze the key moments of changes (transformations) of mental development systematically, distinguishing between "natural" (phenomenological level of research) and "higher" mental formations (causal level). Psychological development of the students' personality in higher schools in the educational environment (E. Ponomareva, O. Rudakova), organization of the university psychological service (L. Bura, Y. Zalevskaya), successful adaptation of high school students as a necessary condition for their acmeological development (L. Bura). In addition, the results of empirical studies on career orientations, (S. Kucherenko, T. Pavluk), attention features (E. Brunner) and value orientations of Internet addicted students (I. Sultanova, O. Shutova) are presented. The chapter about B. Hellinger's systemic constellation as a method of research for an aesthetic object by V. Vynohradov and E. Brunner stands out somewhat separately. A valuable contribution to the practice of organizing a modern psychological service of a higher educational institution with psychological specialties was made by the chapter "Advanced psychodiagnostics of first-year students as a factor in the effectiveness of teaching at a university" (M. Latysheva, E. Brunner). Autors suggests using the technology of deep psychological diagnostics in working with first-year students to carry out a comprehensive assessment of personal characteristics and the actual mental state of each of them. The author recommends using these results to develop a program of individual educational route of the student, and, if necessary, to determine the ways of the most effective corrective work at the initial stage of professionalization. Also the basic components of psychological counseling as one of the important areas of work of practical psychologists are analyzed. The review of theoretical sources on the problem of psychological education in the system of psychological support of students in institutions of higher education is presented. It is concluded that psychological education can be effectively implemented only by being integrated into the general system of the educational process at the University. The importance of psychological correction for students of the specialty "Practical psychology" is emphasized, since it is important to identify their personal problems with the presence of tendencies to psychological death, a sense of inferiority and a tendency to psychological damage. The personal problem is not recognized by the subject, so it is quite difficult to solve it. This is possible with the qualified help of a psychologist who helps to detect the personal problem in its deep psychological essence and transfer it from the implicit level to the explicit one. The subject, as a rule, is aware only of the consequences of having a personal problem (anxiety, tension, increased aggression, etc.), but not its causes. This leads to the fact that many students of the faculty of psychology subconsciously seek rather psychological help, than acquiring professional knowledge and skills in the field. Such people are recommended to undergo psychological correction in full, which optimizes their personal potential. Psychological education is aimed primarily at the formation of the psychological culture of society in general and students in particular. In addition, psychological counseling (I. Erina), psychological education in the system of psychological support of students (G. Grigoryev) and group variant of deep-correction work in the author's version of T. Yatsenko's psychodynamic approach (O. Usatenko, M. Maik) in the system of higher education of Humanities are disclosed in detail. The process of student adaptation in higher education is a process aimed at achieving a dynamic balance between the student and the educational environment. In this process, the student can not only adapt and achieve sustainability, but also be able to unlock their potential and make positive changes in the environment. As a result of an empirical study conducted by S. Kucherenko among students of the Academy of Pedagogy and Humanities, the features of students' career attitudes are clarified. In particular, there was found a low level of orientation to the stability of the place of residence with a high orientation to the stability of the place of work, i.e. a high orientation to building a career in the chosen direction without a desire to work in this region. The algorithm proposed in the study allows to design an individual strategy in the field of career attitudes and expectations of specialists in various fields of training. According to I. Sultanova, a significant part of students with Internet addiction tend to live in the present or yesterday, they have a predominant dissatisfaction with their life in the present and past. Students without Internet addiction are characterized by the presence of certain life orientations, purposefulness, orientation to the present and future. It is also revealed that both groups of students are characterized by fatalism, the belief that a person's life is not subject to conscious control. Thus, the psychological service in education is a practical tool that adapts scientific psychological knowledge to the immediate needs of employees in the field of education and at the same time allows you to solve urgent problems in this area.

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Ask 110 top female executives from five nations to reflect on their careers and leadership as part of an international scientific study and you will uncover a set of recommendations for women who want to become and remain international business leaders. There is also invaluable advice for corporate managers wanting to recruit skilled women into executive positions. This book is based on the authentic experiences and original words of the interviewees - all of whom are senior female executives - and on the author's analytical insights, all set within a qualitative, scientific framework. In this international research project, the Global Women Career Lab, the author analyzes what motivates these fascinating role models, how they plan their career trajectories, what mechanisms they use to overcome obstacles and what leadership strategies have enabled these women to reach senior management positions. The book offers the reader a remarkable insight into the experiences of women in top business positions in Russia, China, Japan, France and Germany. About the author: Dr. Bettina-Al-Sadik-Lowinski is a researcher, author and certified international mentor-coach (MCC). Following a long management career in multinational companies, she has worked as an international executive coach and expert on diversity in Germany, France, Japan and China. Reviews: "A wealth of testimonials from female role models from all over the world, with valuable advices for women pursuing professional development as well as for companies leveraging diversity for competitive advantage."Hong Chow, China CEO Roche Pharma, Member of Supervisory Board Beiersdorf "Women need other women as role models in management in order to plan their careers more strategically and understand that the sky is unlimited for them. In this book, 110 role models from various countries share their experiences and I was especially impressed by the examples from Asian female leaders."Mari Nogami, President Takeda Consumer Healthcare Japan, Ex (the first) Chair of Women in Business AmCham Japan "As a big advocator for global diversity I recommend this book to all women who want to rise up their careers　globally and to corporate leaders who support diversity in their companies worldwide!"Rosa Lee, Executive Vice President of Bosch China, Member of the Board and Corporate HR Head APAC „It’s not right to think that business is a man´s world. Women are more sensitive and calmer - this makes us different, helps us to balance and makes ladies the best partners for men."Natalia Ryzhkova, CEO Gulliver&Co Int., Russia " International, authentic reports from female top managers from different countries combined with a sound scientific analysis of the growth factors for women in management. Insights across countries. Highly recommended!"Professor Dr. Jutta Rump, Managing Director, Institut of Employability (IBE), University of the Economy and Society Ludwigshafen, Germany „Women need to understand the country specific codes and create their best image as topmanager- using language, their look and body postures. This books shows us the similarities and the differences of female images in top positions in the five nations. Great findings!"Muriel de Saint Sauveur, President Women Masterclass France, former International Marketing, Communications and Diversity Director, Mazars Group, France „Les femmes doivent oser prendre leur juste place dans l’economie, que ce soit en tant qu’entrepreneure ou en tant que cadre dirigeante. C’est une question d’equilibre social mais plus encore de potentiel de performance. Plus de femmes signifie plus de croissance et plus de diversité dans les choix stratégiques. Osez, osez, c’est le maitre-mot à mettre en pratique!"Marie-Claire Capobianco, Ex membre du Comité exécutif du groupe BNPParibas, Membre du Haut Comité de Gouvernement d’Entreprise, France „Chinese female executives have many strengths. Great learnings also from women around the world. A treasure book!"Shelley Chen, Senior Director Human Resources, Communications and Public Relations, Saint-Gobain Pipe, APAC, Head of PAM-LAN- Diversity Institute, China " Top managers from five nations provide insights into how they strategically plan their careers, and break down barriers. The author Dr. Bettina AL-Sadik-Lowinski has managed to work out the cultural differences and similarities between these women. Very educational, worth reading and scientifically sound."Prof. Manuela Rousseau, Deputy chairwoman of the supervisory board and Author, Germany " Finally. International role models report what women need to advance further. The quotes contain a global fund that helps women successfully overcome barriers."Christine Rittner, former Global CHRO, Executive board member, Lidl, Germany　 " A journey through the career worlds of women of different cultures. Solidarity from women for women. Highly recommended."　Dr. Marion Welp, Attorney at Law, Chief Human Resources & Legal Affairs Officer, Member Executive Management Team, Board member, Esprit, Germany "Women in top management positions speak plain language. A great initiative. "Sonja Mechling, Head of Global Marketing, UX & Digital Innovation, Schindler Group, Germany „This world deserves more ladies in the leadership positions as a driver of positive changes. Dr. Bettina and her ladies had found their way to the Top and generously shares it in the book."Evgeny Bazhov, Chief Representative, Russia, Financial Association of EuroAsian Cooperation „Full of valuable insights. A must read to understand how women career paths work. Read it. Implement it."Christine Hesse, CEO Hesse Design, Germany Check out our two webinars on this book! In this panel discussion with female senior executives from different nations USA, China, Japan, Russia and Germany, the subject is what women in top leadership positions in different countries have in common and what makes them different: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-HN5VT64Aw In this video, Dr. Bettina Al-Sadik-Lowinski and her guests, all in high leadership positions themselves, read the authentic quotes from the book: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcbSiQ7pK9Y&t=1265s

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Ishmael Jones knows all there is to know about solving mysteries. Together with his love and partner in crimes, Penny Belcourt, he specializes in cases of the weird and uncanny. Lucas Carr went to Glenbury Hall, an old country manor house turned hotel. He signed in at reception, took his key, and went upstairs to his room. But he never got there. Somehow he vanished along the way, with not a single clue to suggest what might have happened to him. Lucas belonged to the same mysterious organization that employs Ishmael and Penny, so they are sent in to solve the mystery. But when they arrive at grim and isolated Glenbury Hall, they discover it has a reputation as one of the most haunted old houses in England. None of the usual headless monks or walled-up nuns—just stories of lost souls that dance with the statues in the grounds; doors that won’t stay shut, and rooms that aren’t always there; and something that prowls the house in the early hours, endlessly searching. They say . . . it crawls. Does Lucas’ disappearance have something to do with the organization or the Hall’s haunted past? Ishmael and Penny have to work their way through a series of mysterious clues and misleading suspects, uncovering secret after secret, before they finally arrive at a truth that no one suspected. The problem with history is that it’s not always content to stay in the past. Praise for Haunted by the Past: "The 11th book in Green’s fantastical mystery series pokes fun at the genre, with fun and plenty of cathartic resolution for readers who like rueful chuckles with their chills. Recommended for those who like antiheroes with more than a bit of snark."—Library Journal Praise for the Ishmael Jones series: “[A] brisk, breezy mystery series . . . With convincing supernatural twists [and] witty chapter titles . . . readers will be anxious for sequels.” —Publishers Weekly “A new book from Green is always a treat for SF and urban fantasy fans, because they know that in his fictional worlds things are never quite what they seem until it’s too late. His first foray into more traditional crime fiction (albeit with an otherworldy flavor) will delight mystery readers, especially those who relish a bit of genre blending.” —Library Journal “Without a doubt, this is one of the best books the author has ever penned down.” —The Gatehouse “I really enjoyed the book. If anything it was over too soon. The author captures the English Country Manor Murder Mystery feel very well, as he sets up pretty much everybody as a suspect . . . I look forward to finding out more in future volumes.” —British Fantasy Society “Ishmael is a wonderful character, an extraterrestrial living among humans, and the series (this is the third installment) is a clever mixture of thriller and SF-horror genres. Green is best known for the Deathstalker space operas, but give this one a few more installments to develop, and it could well become Green’s masterwork.” —Booklist, starred review “Lovers of high-quality fantasy and science fiction should make it a point to seek this guy out, if they haven’t already.” —Booklist “This relatively new series is a wonderful balance of murder mystery and urban fantasy with a sci-fi twist . . . If you enjoyed Green’s previous books or if you are looking for a classic mystery with a modern twist, this is the series for you!” —That’s What I’m Talking About “Ishmael Jones is one of the most underrated series’ ever and I haven’t found one book in the series yet to disappoint . . . I can’t recommend this book and this whole series enough!” —Tiny Book Reviews Praise for Jekyll & Hyde Inc.: “This book is hard to put down. It is exciting from start to finish, with thrills and monsters waiting behind every dark corner.” —San Francisco Book Review "Green transforms Robert Lewis Stevenson’s classic horror novel into the launch pad for an exciting adventure. He takes readers through a romp involving multiple horror classics, updated to the twenty-first century in an amusing and entertaining read." —Ricochet "There’s something about Green’s dark humor that sucks me into many of his books. And, as violent and gory as this book is, it’s really about a good man striving to stay good in the worst circumstances." —Lesa's Book Critiques “It has all the grim and all the dark of many of the author’s previous series.” —Reading Reality Praise for the Deathstalkers series: “Green moves his plot at top speed, and his characters are alive and his background solid.” —Asimov's SF Magazine “An over-the-top masterpiece that veers between brutal comedy and touching riffs on love, loyalty and betrayal . . . bloody funny and extremely bloody.” —The Guardian “Space opera at its action best. The novel is populated with heroic figures reminiscent of Lancelot and Arthur and villains that make Darth Vader seem like a nice person . . . Once again, Simon R. Green has written a work that will appeal to Star War fans.” —Midwest Book Review “A guaranteed blood-and-thunder romp, shot-through with broad swathes of fashion parody, a sustained piss-take on ‘lives of the Rich and Famous’ and the occasional lance of satire. This last is refreshing stuff. It’s mostly aimed at Dictatorship, Fascism, Established Religion, the Toadying Media and so-forth—and it’s nice to find an author who knows that laughter is the most destructive weapon to aim at a repressive establishment. In short, very violent, very funny, very good.” —Infinity Plus About Simon R. Green: “Simon R. Green is a great favorite of mine. It’s almost impossible to find a writer with a more fertile imagination than Simon. He’s a writer who seems endlessly inventive.” —Charlaine Harris “A macabre and thoroughly entertaining world.” —Jim Butcher, on the Nightside series “Nobody delivers sharp, crackling dialogue better than Green, and no one whisks readers away to more terrifying adventures or more bewildering locales.” —Black Gate Magazine “As quintessentially British as fish and chips!” —SF Site “Simon R Green is one hell of a consistent writer—if you like your Fantasy /SF served with lashings of pulp mayhem, dollops of snarky characters and big piles of extreme gore, violence and horror. Mmm tasty.” —Fantasy Book Review UK “Simon R. Green is one of my all-time favorite writers and I haven’t read a book of his that I haven’t devoured. I hope he has many more years of writing left in him and suggest that if you need a fix, pick up his Ishmael Jones books.” —Crooked Reviews “A splendid riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma, conveyed with trademark wisecracking humor, and carried out with maximum bloodshed and mayhem. In a word, irresistible.” —Kirkus, starred review on Night Fall “[F]or those who want a fantasy-genre mash-up that doesn’t slow down.” —Booklist on From a Drood to a Kill

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Taken from their planet and their century, they are not just the Lost Soldiers: they are Murphy’s Lawless. Major Rodger Y. Murphy should have died when his helicopter crashed off the coast of Mogadishu in November, 1993. Instead, he woke up in August 2125 in the Tauri 55 binary star system, 152 light years from home. Without any memory of the otherworldly abductors who spirited them away in cold sleep, Murphy and 100 other “Lost Soldiers” have been retrieved and awakened by two officers of the Consolidated Terran Republic: Trevor Corcoran and Richard Downing. Promising to return after completing an unauthorized rescue mission, they leave the twentieth-century castaways with a daunting objective: establish a base of operations on the main world of R’Bak using local allies they have yet to recruit and enemy equipment they have yet to seize. If that weren’t hard enough, 55 Tauri A, the system’s primary star, is rapidly approaching, and the technologically superior powers from that neighboring system always use that opportunity to raid, pillage, and “cull” the locals. But the company of misfits and ne’er-do-wells who’ve taken the nickname Murphy’s Lawless rose to the challenge. They destroyed the makeshift transmitter with which their enemies would have warned their home planet Kulsis, established a beach-head on R’Bak, and led an uprising of the locals that has changed the balance of power in its most valuable region. But all that was just a tactical prelude to the next operation: beating the Kulsians when they make their now-imminent return. It’s an ambitious plan with three separate parts, none of which can fail. If one does, it means extinction for the Lost Soldiers and their allies. So, naturally, Murphy would be sure to assign his best trained, seasoned, and committed leaders to carry them out. One problem: he doesn’t have anyone like that. The first part of the plan falls to Horace Earl Chalmers, whose background as an Army investigator has made him Murphy’s counter-intelligence chief. But in this case, it’s the shady skills that Chalmers accrued from a lifetime of dodging and twisting the very laws he was supposed to uphold that are the key to completing his mission critical: infiltrate the enemy-held Downport, secure an essential ship, and get it up to orbit. But they methods he has to use to achieve that won’t make his vow to become a better man any easier. But once the ship is in hand, there’s a small problem with part two; none of the Lost Soldiers know how to pilot it to a crucial rendezvous point. However, Navy flier Major Kevin Bowden has shown that he can adapt, improvise, and overcome—so all eyes are on him to learn how to pilot not one, but two, different spacecraft in record time. Because the second rendezvous is to lure a Kulsian corvette into a position where it can be seized. That third part of the plan is the one that almost everyone considers impossible: to take the corvette in a boarding action, using two small assault teams. It’s a hard job that will require a hard, dedicated man. Navy SEAL Harry Tapper is that hard man… but dedicated? He was once, but now . . . ? Exhausted and resentful after being tasked to lead innumerable raids while the Lawless established and expanded the base on R’Bak, Harry has been living among the indigs for over a year. His only concern now is for his local wife, their infant child, and her tribe. But he is also the only one who has done what they now must: board an enemy warship from an unarmed cargo lighter. Why is Murphy fixated upon on this Kulsian corvette? Why and how could a single ship be so pivotal to the survival of all the Lost Soldiers and their allies? Only two things are certain: One: if his plan succeeds, it sets the stage to completely turn the tactical and strategic tables on their Kulsian enemies. Two: there are plenty of people—even among his “allies”—who will stop at nothing in order to foil that plan. Including killing Murphy and anyone who tries to complete any part of his bold ploy—which is, in every sense of the word, mission critical. About the Terran Republic series featuring Caine Riordan: About Caine's Mutiny: “This is military Science Fiction the way it’s supposed to be written. . . . All in all, a highly satisfying tale of the Terran Republic that moves the story forward and setting us up for the next chapter, which promises to be interesting at worst and explosive at best.” —SFcrowsnest About Raising Caine: “Raising Caine unveils a lot of thought-provoking ideas, but ultimately this is a space opera adventure. There are space battles, daring emergency landings, desperate quests, hand-to-hand combat, and double-and-triple crosses. It’s an engrossing read. You owe it to yourself to read the two previous books in order. Then enjoy Raising Caine. It’s an intergalactic thrill-ride.” —Fantasy and Science Ficton Book and Audiobook Reviews “This is science-fiction adventure on a grand scale.”—Kirkus “Gannon’s harrowing . . . military space opera (following Trial by Fire) builds well on his established setting . . . Gannon’s signature attention to developing realistic alien worlds makes this installment satisfying.”—Publishers Weekly “[A]n incredibly active book . . . as our protagonists are confronted by the beautiful, terrible, and sometimes lethal variety of the universe and its inhabitants. . . . A whole mess of fun . . . that manages to be scientifically accurate while refraining from excessive wonkiness. Those who value meticulous worldbuilding . . . will certainly have their needs met.”—BN Sci-Fi and Fantasy Blog About Nebula-nominated Trial by Fire: “I seriously enjoyed Trial by Fire. This one’s a tidal wave—can’t put it down. An excellent book.” —Jack McDevitt "Gannon's whiz-bang second Tales of the Terran Republic interstellar adventure delivers on the promise of the first (Fire with Fire) . . . The charm of Caine's harrowing adventure lies in Gannon's attention to detail, which keeps the layers of political intrigue and military action from getting too dense. The dozens of key characters, multiple theaters of operations, and various alien cultures all receive the appropriate amount of attention. The satisfying resolution is enhanced by the promise of more excitement to come in this fascinating far-future universe.”—Publishers Weekly starred review “[D]efinitely one to appeal to the adventure fans. Riordan is a smart hero, up against enormous obstacles and surrounded by enemies. Author Gannon does a good job of managing action and tension to keep the story moving, and the details of the worlds Riordan visits are interesting in their own right.”—Analog “. . . offers the type of hard science-fiction those familiar with the John Campbell era of Analog Science Fiction will remember. Gannon throws his readers into an action-packed adventure. A sequel to Fire With Fire, it is a nonstop tale filled with military science-fiction action.” —The Galveston County Daily News About Compton Crook Award-winner for best first novel Fire with Fire: “Chuck Gannon is one of those marvelous finds—someone as comfortable with characters as he is with technology, and equally adept at providing those characters with problems to solve. Imaginative, fun, and not afraid to step on the occasional toe or gore the occasional sacred cow, his stories do not disappoint.”—David Weber “If we meet strong aliens out there, will we suffer the fate of the Aztecs and Incas, or find the agility to survive? Gannon fizzes with ideas about the dangerous politics of first contact.”—David Brin “The plot is intriguing and then some. Well-developed and self-consistent; intelligent readers are going to like it.”—Jerry Pournelle “. . . the intersecting plot threads, action and well-conceived science kept those pages turning.”—SFcrowsnest

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The Encyclopedia of Medical Robotics combines contributions in four distinct areas of Medical robotics, namely: Minimally Invasive Surgical Robotics, Micro and Nano Robotics in Medicine, Image-guided Surgical Procedures and Interventions, and Rehabilitation Robotics. The volume on Minimally Invasive Surgical Robotics focuses on robotic technologies geared towards challenges and opportunities in minimally invasive surgery and the research, design, implementation and clinical use of minimally invasive robotic systems. The volume on Micro and Nano robotics in Medicine is dedicated to research activities in an area of emerging interdisciplinary technology that is raising new scientific challenges and promising revolutionary advancement in applications such as medicine and biology. The size and range of these systems are at or below the micrometer scale and comprise assemblies of micro and nanoscale components. The volume on Image-guided Surgical Procedures and Interventions focuses primarily on the use of image guidance during surgical procedures and the challenges posed by various imaging environments and how they related to the design and development of robotic systems as well as their clinical applications. This volume also has significant contributions from the clinical viewpoint on some of the challenges in the domain of image-guided interventions. Finally, the volume on Rehabilitation Robotics is dedicated to the state-of-the-art of an emerging interdisciplinary field where robotics, sensors, and feedback are used in novel ways to re-learn, improve, or restore functional movements in humans.Volume 1, Minimally Invasive Surgical Robotics, focuses on an area of robotic applications that was established in the late 1990s, after the first robotics-assisted minimally invasive surgical procedure. This area has since received significant attention from industry and researchers. The teleoperated and ergonomic features of these robotic systems for minimally invasive surgery (MIS) have been able to reduce or eliminate most of the drawbacks of conventional (laparoscopic) MIS. Robotics-assisted MIS procedures have been conducted on over 3 million patients to date — primarily in the areas of urology, gynecology and general surgery using the FDA approved da Vinci® surgical system. The significant commercial and clinical success of the da Vinci® system has resulted in substantial research activity in recent years to reduce invasiveness, increase dexterity, provide additional features such as image guidance and haptic feedback, reduce size and cost, increase portability, and address specific clinical procedures. The area of robotic MIS is therefore in a state of rapid growth fueled by new developments in technologies such as continuum robotics, smart materials, sensing and actuation, and haptics and teleoperation. An important need arising from the incorporation of robotic technology for surgery is that of training in the appropriate use of the technology, and in the assessment of acquired skills. This volume covers the topics mentioned above in four sections. The first section gives an overview of the evolution and current state the da Vinci® system and clinical perspectives from three groups who use it on a regular basis. The second focuses on the research, and describes a number of new developments in surgical robotics that are likely to be the basis for the next generation of robotic MIS systems. The third deals with two important aspects of surgical robotic systems — teleoperation and haptics (the sense of touch). Technology for implementing the latter in a clinical setting is still very much at the research stage. The fourth section focuses on surgical training and skills assessment necessitated by the novelty and complexity of the technologies involved and the need to provide reliable and efficient training and objective assessment in the use of robotic MIS systems.In Volume 2, Micro and Nano Robotics in Medicine, a brief historical overview of the field of medical nanorobotics as well as the state-of-the-art in the field is presented in the introductory chapter. It covers the various types of nanorobotic systems, their applications and future directions in this field. The volume is divided into three themes related to medical applications. The first theme describes the main challenges of microrobotic design for propulsion in vascular media. Such nanoscale robotic agents are envisioned to revolutionize medicine by enabling minimally invasive diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. To be useful, nanorobots must be operated in complex biological fluids and tissues, which are often difficult to penetrate. In this section, a collection of four papers review the potential medical applications of motile nanorobots, catalytic-based propelling agents, biologically-inspired microrobots and nanoscale bacteria-enabled autonomous drug delivery systems. The second theme relates to the use of micro and nanorobots inside the body for drug-delivery and surgical applications. A collection of six chapters is presented in this segment. The first chapter reviews the different robot structures for three different types of surgery, namely laparoscopy, catheterization, and ophthalmic surgery. It highlights the progress of surgical microrobotics toward intracorporeally navigated mechanisms for ultra-minimally invasive interventions. Then, the design of different magnetic actuation platforms used in micro and nanorobotics are described. An overview of magnetic actuation-based control methods for microrobots, with eventually biomedical applications, is also covered in this segment. The third theme discusses the various nanomanipulation strategies that are currently used in biomedicine for cell characterization, injection, fusion and engineering. In-vitro (3D) cell culture has received increasing attention since it has been discovered to provide a better simulation environment of in-vivo cell growth. Nowadays, the rapid progress of robotic technology paves a new path for the highly controllable and flexible 3D cell assembly. One chapter in this segment discusses the applications of micro-nano robotic techniques for 3D cell culture using engineering approaches. Because cell fusion is important in numerous biological events and applications, such as tissue regeneration and cell reprogramming, a chapter on robotic-tweezers cell manipulation system to achieve precise laser-induced cell fusion using optical trapping has been included in this volume. Finally, the segment ends with a chapter on the use of novel MEMS-based characterization of micro-scale tissues instead of mechanical characterization for cell lines studies.Volume 3, Image-guided Surgical Procedures and Interventions, focuses on several aspects ranging from understanding the challenges and opportunities in this domain, to imaging technologies, to image-guided robotic systems for clinical applications. The volume includes several contributions in the area of imaging in the areas of X-Ray fluoroscopy, CT, PET, MR Imaging, Ultrasound imaging, and optical coherence tomography. Ultrasound-based diagnostics and therapeutics as well as ultrasound-guided planning and navigation are also included in this volume in addition to multi-modal imaging techniques and its applications to surgery and various interventions. The application of multi-modal imaging and fusion in the area of prostate biopsy is also covered. Imaging modality compatible robotic systems, sensors and actuator technologies for use in the MRI environment are also included in this work., as is the development of the framework incorporating image-guided modeling for surgery and intervention. Finally, there are several chapters in the clinical applications domain covering cochlear implant surgery, neurosurgery, breast biopsy, prostate cancer treatment, endovascular interventions, neurovascular interventions, robotic capsule endoscopy, and MRI-guided neurosurgical procedures and interventions.Volume 4, Rehabilitation Robotics, is dedicated to the state-of-the-art of an emerging interdisciplinary field where robotics, sensors, and feedback are used in novel ways to relearn, improve, or restore functional movements in humans. This volume attempts to cover a number of topics relevant to the field. The first section addresses an important activity in our daily lives: walking, where the neuromuscular system orchestrates the gait, posture, and balance. Conditions such as stroke, vestibular deficits, or old age impair this important activity. Three chapters on robotic training, gait rehabilitation, and cooperative orthoses describe the current works in the field to address this issue. The second section covers the significant advances in and novel designs of soft actuators and wearable systems that have emerged in the area of prosthetic lower limbs and ankles in recent years, which offer potential for both rehabilitation and human augmentation. These are described in two chapters. The next section addresses an important emphasis in the field of medicine today that strives to bring rehabilitation out from the clinic into the home environment, so that these medical aids are more readily available to users. The current state-of-the-art in this field is described in a chapter. The last section focuses on rehab devices for the pediatric population. Their impairments are life-long and rehabilitation robotics can have an even bigger impact during their lifespan. In recent years, a number of new developments have been made to promote mobility, socialization, and rehabilitation among the very young: the infants and toddlers. These aspects are summarized in two chapters of this volume.

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Since 1920, Architectural Digest has celebrated design talents, innovative homes, and products--providing endless decoration, lifestyle, and travel inspiration. With ten global editions, the magazine is an authority renowned all over the world for publishing only the very best of today's interior design. In this new volume--spearheaded by AD France's editor in chief, Marie Kalt--the editors of Architectural Digest's international editions have teamed up to thoughtfully curate a collection of today's most exceptional interiors around the globe. These diverse residential spaces span from the United States and China, to France, Italy, Germany, Russia, Spain, India, Mexico, and the Middle East, presenting each country's unique AD style manifesto and the work of design luminaries such as Peter Marino, Martyn Lawrence Bullard, Jacques Grange, Joseph Dirand, and Bijoy Jain, to name a few. The featured projects range from Marc Jacobs's New York townhouse to Tommy Hilfiger's Connecticut abode and Seth Meyers's Manhattan duplex; a sumptuous eighteenth-century Italian villa and a Moroccan palace; Pierre Berge's apartment and a hotel particulier in Paris; a Majorca summer home; and a country house in Russia. Brimming with stunning images and rich international inspirations, this unparalleled compendium of global interiors is a must for every library of interior design. Interior designer Mark D. Sikes burst onto the publishing scene with his New York Times best-selling first book, Beautiful. His new book, aptly titled More Beautiful, picks up where the first left off, in a celebration of classic, all-American decorating. The rooms featured in More Beautiful are divided into five distinct styles, all of which exude the happiness that comes with surrounding oneself with things you love. Traditional is chockablock with vibrant color, antique furniture, and heady doses of trim and pattern. Country is a new take on the style, where distressed finishes and modern silhouettes mingle for a warm welcome. Coastal is streamlined, with natural woven fibers, sun-faded linen and neutrals, and blues and whites galore. Mediterranean evokes faraway lands, with a saturated palette, ornate tiles and ikats, and iron details. Finally, there's Beautiful: a peek inside Mark's own Hollywood Hills home, which nods to all of his favorite design signatures--including Italian wicker, blue and white, Anglo-Indian antiques, and more. With all-new photography by Amy Neunsinger, the book will inspire with rooms that are light-filled and crisply patterned, chic yet comfortable, and just the way people want to live today. Every Pierce and Ward home tells a story. Emily and Louisa believe that there is a beauty in the unfolding of a room that takes the eye dancing from one piece to the next, swirling over velvets of peach and gold, gliding over glass and marble, and stopping to take in the homeowner's precious sentimental favorites. As the designers for such Hollywood powerhouses, supermodels, and rock stars as Brie Larson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Dakota Johnson, Kate Hudson, and Karen Elson, Pierce and Ward artfully blend classic elements and fanciful touches, creating an irresistible kaleidoscope of patterns, textures, art, and objects. Stately striped wallpaper mixes with French florals. Brass-lion bookends sit beside trays inlaid with glinting mother-of-pearl. Milk-glass globes hang down hallways like glowing moons to guide one's path. Humble finds from eBay and lovingly worn textiles mix with museum-quality art and family photos. This book will teach readers about organized abundance and un-gaudy decadence, with a dash of restraint for good measure: it's an evocative and inspiring ode to the art of more. With a focus on Schumacher's greatest contemporary patterns--everything from classic stripes and exuberant florals to edgy animal prints--this accessible and highly useful style guide is organized thematically by chapters such as Sensual and Spare; Preppy; Ladylike; Exuberant; and Opulent, with each featuring a stunning selection of patterns along with inspiring interiors designed in the same spirit. To help readers better understand their style preferences, every chapter begins with a questionnaire, for example: Are You an Acolyte of High Style? Do You Prefer a Midnight Supper to a Power Lunch?; Consider Jewel Tones Neutral?; Think Champagne Is Not Just for Special Occasions? Page after page after page of lavish imagery and pattern details are juxtaposed alongside beautiful interiors designed by such luminaries as Miles Redd, Tom Scheerer, Amanda Lindroth, Celerie Kemble, Veere Grenney, and Mark D. Sikes, to name a few, illustrating how Schumacher's iconic patterns can be integrated into a wide range of chic and stylish room designs. The texts provide insights and tips on how patterns can be used in your decor, along with guidance for deciding what style is best for you and your home. Full of inspiring design ideas, as well as an unparalled resource of prints and patterns, S Is for Style is a visual feast of interior design for all styles and tastes. In their first book, Stamps and Stamps share their passion for historical references and attention to detail, showing you how to create a mood with floral patterns, brimming bookshelves, and overstuffed armchairs. These images inspire you to incorporate vintage treasures into your interiors, and the text explains where to find and buy the decor--such as fabrics, wallpaper, and lighting--featured in these pages. Above all, Stamps and Stamps show you how to make your home comfortable, as they believe houses are for living in, not just for looking at. With a focus on Southern California, where they live, Stamps and Stamps specialize in designing, decorating, and restoring historic homes and gardens. From an Andalusian riad in Hancock Park restored and decorated for Ellen deGeneres, to a newly built old California ranch in Rolling Hills, to a collector's cottage in Pasadena to their own compound in South Pasadena designed around a Greene and Greene carriage house, Stamps and Stamps have built their style on an aesthetic foundation rooted in the past but with a lightness and wit that's very much of the present. With its beautiful photography and practical tips, Stamps and Stamps is sure to inspire you to embrace cozy and comfortable interior design, while showing you how to create a home that's easy to live in. Since the 1990s, Watson has been one of the most prolific chroniclers of remarkable interiors and portraits, gracing the pages of W magazine, Vanity Fair, AD, and T Magazine. From hard-edged modernity and historical exoticism to pure classicism, the photographer has documented rooms of note in cities, atop mountains, and by the sea. Complementing his masterful images, Watson gives an intimate description of each location. On this journey with the photographer, one experiences the Duchess of Alba's Palacio Liria in Madrid, filled with sixteenth- and seventeenth-century masterpieces; interior designer Roberto Peregalli's splendid riad in Tangier; the magnificent and vast Castello Gardena in the Italian Alps owned by the Franchetti clan; Guinness heir Garech de Brun's hillside retreat in County Wicklow, Ireland; the Renaissance Palazzo Massimo alle Colonne in Rome, designed by Baldassarre Peruzzi in the sixteenth century; shoe designer Christian Louboutin's fanciful Parisian apartment; and many other splendid places around the world. Designer extraordinaire Stephen Shadley began his working life as a scenic artist at 20th Century Fox. Throughout a celebrated career (landing a coveted spot on the AD100), his work has been marked continually by the glamour of Hollywood as well as by a kind of visual storytelling that is richly informed by the world of the movie screen and by the artifice and allure of film's great cinematographers. Notable for their expression of an exquisite sense of style, his designed homes--including the interiors for a classic Beverly Hills abode for Diane Keaton, an apartment for Robert Altman in the legendary Pythian building on New York's Upper West Side, as well as a luxurious contemporary home for Jennifer Aniston--are all expressions of a masterful sense of scale and an appreciation for understated beauty and refined materials that are ultimately warm, inviting, and serene. The book features numerous beautifully designed homes of Hollywood royalty, primarily in Southern California, though with notable projects in New York and beyond, as well as three greenrooms, which Shadley designed for the Oscars and the Emmy Awards. Wouldn't it be amazing if we could knock on the most talented people's doors and prowl through their homes for inspiration? Chosen and curated by London-based creative director Alex Eagle, this collection of stylish interiors is the next best thing. With a spotlight on objects that personalize each home, this playful volume is rich in inspiration for creating that perfect blend of modern luxury and bohemian chic. Practicing what she preaches, Eagle's light-filled loft in London's Soho is a showhouse for the objects, vintage furniture, and art she deals in at her boutique, where natural materials, rare books, original art, and vintage furniture create the warmth and personality of a well-lived home. Exploring the homes, tastes, and lifestyles of brilliant creatives around the world--from adventurer David de Rothschild to heiress Marie Louise Scio (owner of Il Pellicano), this book pairs vibrant photos of interiors with texts about their owners' worlds, providing insight into how these spaces cultivate unique ways of living, working, and socializing. Eagle's warm curation of her subjects and her personal relationships with each allows the book to transcend the boundaries of a traditional interiors tome, giving us all access to aspire. The French woodwork purveyor Feau and Cie has supplied architects, designers, and museums with period paneling since 1875. Featuring documents, drawings, plaster models, panels, and antique boiserie rooms, its archive of 25,000 pieces--many from the eighteenth century and Art Deco era--is an unrivaled source of inspiration for re-creating heirloom spaces as well as for constructing spectacular contemporary pieces. Though the house remains best known for its magical historic rooms, it has collaborated with architects and decorators on original projects since its beginnings, and today's design greats--including Michael S. Smith, Brian J. McCarthy, and Robert Couturier, among others-- regularly call upon the firm for elaborate projects. In this first book of the firm's work, Feau and Cie reveals a selection of its most exceptional projects, from magnificent historical abodes to daring modern creations, including a palace in Tuscany and residences in Paris, London, New York, Malibu, and Atlanta. Dazzling images of finished interiors are accompanied by details of panels, doors, and decor, while exclusive photographs by lensman Robert Polidori explore the house's Parisian atelier. The unique savoir faire of joiners, sculptors, gilders, and painter-decorators shines through in this visual celebration of decorative masterpieces, which is bound to delight design masters and art lovers alike. Through his long and crowded life, polyglot designer Federico Forquet has been by turns a couturier who learned his craft at Balenciaga's side and whose creations for his eponymous house clothed the best-dressed women of the day; a decorator of interiors of singular style and charm; a discriminating collector of rare and beautiful objects, furnishings, and pictures; and a creator of magical gardens. For the first time, the many worlds of this creative visionary are brought together in a richly illustrated celebration of style: from imagery of his lavish haute-couture gowns featured in 1960s and '70s Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, and other fashionable publications and worn by trendsetters such as Marella Agnelli, Sophia Loren, and Diana Vreeland to picturesque scenes of verdant Tuscan gardens and opulent, old-world Roman villas and palazzos decorated by Forquet. Accompanied by insightful texts from the design world's authoritative voices, this inspiring and utterly enchanting tome will appeal to readers fascinated by fashion, social history, gardens, interior design, and Italian style. From New York to London, Paris to Monaco, the private residences of the greatest and most illustrious names in the art world boast some of the world's most outstanding collections. Antique masterpieces, modern chefs d'oeuvre, and contemporary creations are set against exquisite--and at times audacious--interiors exuding bold, unique style. A first of its kind, this elegant volume grants readers exclusive access to these houses and gives life to enthralling contrasts, echoes, and unexpected dialogues by juxtaposing unparalleled art collections with interiors designed by the most renowned names, such as Peter Marino, Francois Marcq, Jacques Grange, and Toshiko Mori. The result is a gallery of striking beauty, most of which is revealed to the public eye for the very first time and captured by photographer Jean-Francois Jaussaud. Demirdjian's texts guide the reader through these private spaces, while excerpts from exclusive interviews with some of the spaces' owners, such as Dominique Levy, Brett Gorvy, Almine Rech, Barbara Gladstone, Kamel Mennour, and Axel and May Vervoordt, enrich this volume. Spanish landscape designer Fernando Caruncho has spent over four decades impressing the world with his breathtaking garden designs, which create a perfect union of architectural design within nature. His sources of inspiration are as diverse as Islamic design, Zen Buddhism, and European Classicism, and the control of light, geometrical scale, and use of local materials are key principles of his design approach. In this book, Caruncho personally curates a selection of twenty-six of his international garden projects ranging from private residences to large agricultural estates and public spaces, including a vineyard in Italy, a private garden in Biarritz, France, and an expansive estate in New Jersey. Caruncho gives readers a glimpse at his creative thought process through inspirational images, ephemera, and selections from his sketches. Rattan evokes the glamour and exoticism of the Riviera, grand yachts, and tropical verandas. It appeared in Impressionist paintings, and dazzling celebrities like Marilyn Monroe and Gina Lollobrigida were photographed lounging on it. Now, rattan is regaining its allure and becoming increasingly fashionable in interior design and fashion spreads--a reflection of beauty, craftsmanship, and sustainability. Heywood-Wakefield furniture from the nineteenth century is highly collectible, as are pieces created by giants of modern design such as Josef Hoffmann for Thonet, Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn, Jean-Michel Frank for Ecart, Renzo Mongiardino for Bonacina, and Arne Jacobsen for Sika. Paul Frankl and Donald Deskey designed sleek Art Deco rattan furniture. Rattan pieces have become iconic and highly prized, including Hiroomi Tahara's Wrap Sofa, Franca Helg's Primavera Chair, and the many iterations of the Peacock Chair. The glamour of rattan shines through in seductive and beautiful interiors--Madeleine Castaing's house in Chartres, Michael Taylor's California beach houses, the Titanic's Cafe Parisien. The book also showcases tastemakers who have embraced rattan, from Marella Agnelli and Cecil Beaton to design leaders of today, including Jeffrey Bilhuber, Veere Grenney, Axel Vervoordt, and Bunny Williams. This exquisite book showcases the stunning properties of the world's leading design connoisseurs, including Jasper Conran, Lynn Guinness, Vanessa Branson, and Helen and Brice Marden, who have transformed Marrakesh's exotic style into unexpected but elegant expressions. The story of design in Marrakesh begins with the contributions of Bill Willis, Yves Saint Laurent, and Pierre Berge, who fearlessly fused Moroccan elements--zellige tilework, rugs, pottery, fountains, woodwork, metalwork, and tadelakt wall treatments--with a luxuriant mix of furnishings from around the world. We are invited into such lush private places as the gardens of the Villa Oasis, designed by Madison Cox, and the Bulgaris' tranquil riad. Full of personal insights, Loum-Martin explores how international design-savvy individuals continue to incorporate such exuberant designs in their work. Today's Marrakesh style appeals to a wide variety of tastes--from formal to quirky, from rustic to refined--and is suitable for diverse settings. Eco-friendly materials, including earthenware and natural fibers, contribute to these appealing interiors and gardens. Superbly photographed, Inside Marrakesh abounds with a wealth of unique design ideas. The great appeal of Spanish Style homes lies in their aura of romance and drama, a sense of story, of magic, as well as in their very comfortable and engaging proportions and the great livability of the interior spaces. Deep shadow, arched doorways, trickling courtyard fountains, climbing bougainvillea on wrought-iron window grilles, wood-beamed ceilings, and white-plaster walls are all hallmarks of the style. Here, through a celebration of contemporary and historic homes in Southern California, as well as existing historic precedents in Andalusia, Spain--most notably the intricatedly detailed Casa de Pilatos in Seville and the Alhambra of Granada--The Spanish Style House presents the definitive picture of the style as it exists today. Featured homes include the George Washington Smith-designed Casa Blanca--a fantasy made real in stone and stucco replete with the romance of old Morocco in its horseshoe arches, its domes, and evocative tile murals--and a Marc Appleton-designed beach house in Del Mar, California, which is a dream on the sea and an eloquent testament to the virtues of the style for today. Native Houstonians Lucas and Eilers's aesthetic marries the entrepreneurial, can-do spirit of the West with Southern grace. The distinctive influences of their hometown--from the architecture of John Staub to the textures and color palettes of the surrounding Texas ranches and expansive landscapes to the impact of futuristic NASA--infuse their design choices. Whether traditional, contemporary, or transitional in style, the rooms they create are timeless. The duo's seasoned insight into the principles and elements of interior design forms the book's heart. Touching on such topics as scale and proportion, color and light, and pattern and texture, they explore their pragmatic, imaginative approach to creating expressive living spaces in a diverse range of projects from coast to coast. They then tour us through several homes, including a comfortable family ski compound in Utah with repurposed rough-hewn wooden beams and custom forged-steel fireplace surrounds; a Houston shotgun home rich with patina; and a charming Gulf Coast beach house. For those passionate about interiors, this wealth of design fundamentals is inspirational. The sensibility of interior design firm Nickey Kehoe ranges from minimal to maximal, quiet to baroque, but always seeks to express the ephemeral feeling of a space. Designers Todd Nickey and Amy Kehoe are fascinated by how a room can come together to express its own persona, as though the design just happened. Describing themselves as object-obsessed observers, Nickey and Kehoe pay keen attention to their clients' passions, preferences, and beloved pieces, juxtaposing elements and styles in deceptively simple ways. The result is interior design that appears as if it were a personal collection randomly put together, when in fact it is the product of their very mindful curating. Nickey Kehoe's studied but unfussy design is elegant but never staid, proud but humble, full of detail but resplendent with negative space. And then they add a bit of the unexpected--a combination of layered patterns and palettes, different time periods, humorous gestures, clever lighting--any element that keeps their impeccable sense of balance from becoming predictable or formulaic. This collection of residential interiors is for the curious, for lovers of studied but unfussy design, and for those who appreciate being surrounded by beautiful things with a story to tell. Nicole Hollis's approach to contemporary living is to create timeless interiors that blend seamlessly with the environment. Featured is a wide range of residences in city, country, and coastal settings that masterfully mix the simplicity of line with organic complexity to create refined spaces. A striking home in the Marin County town of Tiburon features natural materials and dramatic touches that embrace the property's sweeping views of the San Francisco Bay. A Kona Coast property set on a lava field reimagines a Hawaiian open-plan sanctuary with a modern design scheme of rich textures, including lava-basalt floor tiles and coral wall blocks. Michele Oka Doner's lighting employs the shape of Kiawe tree branches. A San Francisco pied-a-terre is an elegant contrast study in black and white, infused with historical nuances. These curated spaces are comprised of art, found objects, and bespoke furnishings that underscore Nicole's appreciation of texture, craft, and nature. The fascinating story of this business starts in the small village of Pella, on the shores of Lake Orta, in northern Italy, yet its high-end design products created by the best-known designers, including Piero Lissoni, Michael Anastassiades, Matteo Thun, Antonio Rodriguez, Vincent Van Duysen, Naoto Fukasawa, and Paik Sun Kim, went on to travel the world in an international circuit. Water is the common thread running through the whole book. This is the water of Lake Orta, found in the images of great photographers such as Gianni Basso, Franco Fontana, Giorgio Lotti, Gabriele Basilico, Gianni Berengo Gardin, Ferdinando Scianna, Gabriele Croppi, and Walter Zerla, who have interpreted it over time at the invitation of Fantini. However, water is also the main element of the jewellike taps produced by the company, small everyday masterpieces that bring it to our homes, renewing this great magic every day. This book takes the reader through Estel's history from the future to the past, working backward in five major phases of the company's progress. These phases are related through various illustrations, best called dioramas, covering double spreads that fold out, making four full-size pages. Especially created for the book by Pierluigi Longo, these dioramas emerge like modern-day frescoes in which the leading figures of the business world can be observed, along with the production panorama and market environment around them. They represent a sort of visualized concept that not only illustrates and tracks a path through the book, but also lends it concept and structure. The texts that follow each theme-diorama pivot successively on the company philosophy, the protagonists, the products, and a brief text classifying the furniture-manufacturing sector itself. Hence, the tale unfolds on two fronts simultaneously, interweaving the company's history with the ongoing developments in the sector and in methods of production. This volume offers beautifully photographed and printed views of these sumptuous carpets in rooms designed by some of the world's leading interior designers. The carpets have been collected by luminaries in the design, fashion, and art worlds including curators Mark Rosenthal and Allan Schwartzman, Joseph Ettedgui, founder of the Joseph brand, Pierre Alexis-Dumas, creative director of Hermes, and celebrities such as Steve Martin, Madonna, and Brad Pitt, among others. Experience the highs and humorous lows of Davis and Provisor's adventures in Asia as they track down the best in materials and craftsmanship, as well as the most authentic cuisine in each region. Specializing in retail and hotel design, Virgile + Partners is a key global player with a wide scope of international projects, from luxury retail, restaurants, and hotel interiors to department stores and malls. The agency has works across the United States, India, Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, the Middle East, China, and Russia, as well as extensive work throughout Europe and the UK. Virgile + Partners' approach to global design is to decode and absorb various cultures, avoiding classic reinterpretations by presenting an unexpected twist to traditions and conventions. As a result, the diversity between each project avoids a uniform response and instead sparks a desire to communicate the individuality of each brand's vision, as well as to bring their values to life. The book's narrative structure gives a clear insight into the essence of the work shown. It offers a glimpse into the making-of process and the backstage thinking that inspired the ideas, not just the aesthetic vocabulary, that led to the final design outcome. This is the story in pictures of a dimension of living that differs from every other. While there have been attempts to create a philosophy of interior design, there has rarely been an effort to discover the soul of furniture and objects. That is what Paolo Roversi has tried to do with his camera in these pages, which are devoted to Poliform, the Italian company that has successfully transformed ancient Italian artisanal traditions into contemporary furniture. By using what have always been his raw materials--time, light, space--Roversi leads us on a photographic journey to the middle of the Poliform universe, helping us to relive the company's story and capture the mysterious, unmistakable soul that makes the surfaces and volumes of its objects vibrate. A virtuoso of volumes and a master of light, Brussels-based architect Olivier Dwek shapes buildings and interiors that are inhabited by a timeless aura. Fluid lines and varied perspectives define monumental structures, enhancing details and contemporary art pieces in both private and public spaces, all imbued with serene elegance. Ranging from Greek vacation homes to Parisian townhouses, this volume celebrates the refined approach that marks Dwek's style while taking the reader on a journey across Europe and the world. Vibrant photographs showcase Dwek's fascination with textures and new uses for materials developed in collaboration with artists and artisans. His skilled use of light, his innate sense of symmetry, and his effortless merging of architectural elements with design details are all apparent in this volume. With texts by architecture expert Philip Jodidio, this printed journey through Dwek's buildings and interiors is bound to seduce architecture connoisseurs and curious spirits alike. Visit Los Angeles with a photographer who knows how to get the lighting right to highlight the spectacular architecture of the city. Stylish museums, such as the Broad, and a flourishing Arts District illustrate the explosive art scene, while Hollywood's Chateau Marmont and the historic Beverly Hills neighborhood add a chic dynamism. Across town, Culver City, home to the tech industry, features blocks of futuristic architecture by Eric Owen Moss. The modernist homes by Richard Neutra and John Lautner, as well as Frank Lloyd Wright's Hollyhock House, are shown against dramatic backdrops of sky and sea. The visual sweep of this oversize book also encompasses the Los Angeles of film and television. Los Angeles is a city of dreams, and Los Angeles Today is a glorious portrait of the city in its infinite variety. From a ranch in the U.S. and a Finnish farmstead to a Spanish hacienda and Australian outback home, Stables is a celebration of horses and their extraordinary lodgings. International in scope, ranging from traditional to contemporary in flavor, these stables--built of wood, metal, and stone--are exemplars of the finest taste in design. The allure of housing horses is a story of architecture, design, landscape, and a unique way of living in magnificent places--and spaces--that are made exclusively for horses and for those who love them. The book also explores indoor and outdoor arenas, paddocks, and gardens, providing a humane face to the otherwise functional buildings. Social spaces for the horses, riders, and visitors also play an important role in filling out the projects, making stables not just places for sport but also for entertainment and leisure. There is a beauty here that reflects the majesty of these animals, the distinctive landscapes in which they are set, and the creative visions of the owners, architects, and designers who have all brought them into being. Beautifully photographed, the book is sure to interest horse aficionados as well as all those interested in engaging, clean, human-scaled design. Throughout their twenty-five-year commitment to modern design, Barnes Coy Architects have specialized in one-of-a-kind dream houses designed for those who prefer to live in highly spatial and modern ways. Assembled in Light is the first exclusive look at this firm's previously unpublished body of high-end residential work. These leisure homes gleam in the sun like sleek, finely tuned machines. Everything has been custom designed, custom made, custom treated. The houses are tastefully furnished with one-of-a-kind artisanal pieces (by Wendell Castle, Chris Lehrecke, etc.) and museum-quality collections of contemporary art hanging on the walls (such as works by Anselm Kiefer, Barbara Kruger, Richard Prince, and Cindy Sherman). They feature infinity pools, outdoor and indoor kitchens, roof decks, temperature-controlled wine cellars, and numerous guest rooms, as well as ten-foot-high doorways and floor-to-ceiling swathes of tempered glass to better gaze out at the dunes and ocean views. The new photography beautifully captures the architects' attention to detail and love of specialized materials, whether it's Carrara marble from Italy or teak from Bali. While most of the houses are located in the Hamptons in New York, a few are found as far afield as Costa Rica, California, Georgia, and Westchester County. All but three homes were built on commanding waterfront sites. In 2012, Danish architect Lise Juel completed the restoration of fellow Dane Jorn Utzon's magnificent residence on the Spanish island of Mallorca, known as Can Lis. Uncovering Utzon is a series of pensees by Juel describing the process of restoring the beloved architect's unique and magnificent construction for the Utzon Foundation. Accompanying Juel's evocative account are the equally evocative images of the house by eminent architectural photographer Helene Binet. Known for her powerful black-and-white photographs of the work of the world's most important architects, past and present, Binet brings her unique eye to Can Lis to produce a breathtaking portrait of Utzon's spectacular, elemental masterpiece. Together, Juel's personal account and Binet's inimitable photography illustrate the undeniable power of this rough-hewn Modernist architectural landmark. Miguel Angel Aragones has gained international attention with his spectacular private residences and buildings throughout Mexico and beyond. This lavish volume features eleven of his stunning interiors and residences that show off his spare aesthetics and sophisticated principles of all-white, uncluttered interiors during the day that light up with cinematic neon colors at night. Considered an important member of the Mexican and Latin American architectural vanguard, Aragones is known for his modernist sensibilities and creative use of lighting. Aragones has a knack for creating harmonious spaces in overwrought environments. Rombo is a series of private houses located in a central, tree-lined neighborhood in Mexico City, which light up with color bursts of neon to transform the properties from day to night. Mar Adentro is a luxury resort in Cabo San Lucas that adopts his principles with an archipelago of stark white cubes fanning toward the horizon and various platforms connected by paths that appear to float on mirrored saltwater pools. This dual-language volume will appeal to those interested in greats such as Legorreta and Barragan, as well as the Latin American school of modernism. Koichi Takada is part of a new generation of architects striving to bring nature back into the urban environment--an approach he developed after living in Tokyo, New York, and London. His architecture reconnects people to the natural environment, drawing inspiration from organic forms and local contexts. This elegant volume

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