“New Chairs: Innovations in Design, Technology, and Materials” by Mel Byars (Chronicle, $24.95)
To some, the humble chair is an icon representing functional, accessible design while being a signpost for the era’s most popular trends. Books like Taschen’s popular compendium “1000 Chairs” illustrate that point with copious photos. But “New Chairs” does exactly what it promises and more. Not only does the reader see the quirky, far-out thinking behind some of the heavy- hitters in contemporary design, the 67 chairs captured here are further dissected with blueprint illustrations and background on the designer and the manufacturing process. Absorbing this book will make even a novice enthusiast conversant in today’s hottest industrial design trends.
