Nature in Design

Nature is a designer's sourcebook, full of shapes and colours that have inspired visual invention since civilization began. It provides most of the materials from which things are made, and is the basis of all systems of ornament and decoration. Designing with nature not only helps to find functional solutions, but also alters perceptions of beauty and meaning. In this book Alan Powers traces the ways that designers have explored nature's potential through the ages, from the 4000 year old jewellery of Ur to the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao. He examines the natural influence in architecture, engineering, home interiors, domestic products, fashion and graphic design, looking at work by designers such as Issey Miyake, Ron Arad, William Morris and Frank Gehry.