Eye Candy: The Latest Coffee Table Books To Have

You may be sitting at home but let your mind wonder with these new tomes that will have you marvelling at the exoticism of Uzbekistan, amazing architecture in Scotland, innovative food in Texas and more

Architizer: The World’s Best Architecture

Photo 1 of 4 Cover of Architizer: The World's Best Architecture. Cover photo of the Xiafu Activity Center in Xiafu, Taiwan by Muriel Ma. Image courtesy of Phaidon

Photo 2 of 4 A pavilion titled the Boolean Operator in Suzhou, Mainland China. Designed by Marc Fornes/Theverymany. Photography by NAARO. Image courtesy of Phaidon

Photo 3 of 4 House 3000 in Alcácer do Sal, Portugal. Designed by Rebelo de Andrade. Photography by João Guimarães/JG Photography. Image courtesy of Phaidon

Photo 4 of 4 The V&A Dundee in Scotland. Designed by Kengo Kuma & Associates. Photography by Hufton+Crow. Image courtesy of Phaidon

By Architizer
Phaidon

Architizer is a New York-based organisation that runs an online platform for architects and manufacturers to network and share best practice, and its latest book features the winners of its 2019 Architizer A+Awards. The winners were picked based on votes from the public and a group of 400-plus professionals from various fields ranging from fashion to real estate, and the result is a stunning, diverse collection of architectural masterpieces from around the world—whether it is a pavilion titled “Boolean Operator” in Suzhou, or the sharp angles and slanted walls of V&A’s striking museum in Dundee.

Cooking in Marfa: Welcome, We’ve Been Expecting You

Photo 1 of 5 Cover of Cooking in Marfa: Welcome, We’ve Been Expecting You. Photography by Douglas Friedman. Image courtesy of Phaidon

Photo 2 of 5 The Capri restaurant in Marfa, Texas. Photography by Douglas Friedman. Image courtesy of Phaidon

Photo 3 of 5 Poached pears from The Capri. Photography by Douglas Friedman. Image courtesy of Phaidon

Photo 4 of 5 The Capri's seven-layer yucca dip. Photography by Douglas Friedman. Image courtesy of Phaidon

Photo 5 of 5 The Capri steak. Photography by Douglas Friedman. Image courtesy of Phaidon

By Virginia Lebermann and Rocky Bernette
Photography by Douglas Friedman
Phaidon

The town of Marfa in Texas may only have a population of 2,000 people but it is a sought-after destination for art lovers and, since The Capri restaurant opened in 2016, foodies have started to add this little city in the Western part of the state on their bucket list as well. Virginia Lebermann and chef Rocky Bernette is the husband and wife team behind The Capri and Cooking in Marfa showcases the rustic chic interiors of the restaurant and Bernette’s style of New American cuisine—an intriguing mix of ancient Mexican culinary traditions and modern Texan favourites, with recipes such as hisbiscus margaritas, seven-layer yucca dip, masa pasta ravioli with cured egg yolk and gulf bottarga, mesquite bean ice cream, and even a Texas caviar recipe that pairs the delicacy with Fritos and sour cream.

Uzbekistan: The Road to Samarkand

Photo 1 of 5 The cover of Uzbekistan: The Road to Samarkand. Photography by Laziz Hamani. Image courtesy of Assouline

Photo 2 of 5 The Sher-dor Madrassah in Registan Square, Samarkand. Photography by Laziz Hamani. Image courtesy of Assouline

Photo 3 of 5 Shah-i-Zindah in Samarkand. Photography by Laziz Hamani. Image courtesy of Assouline

Photo 4 of 5 A velvet and gold kitoba panel from the State Museum of Applied Arts of Uzbekistan in Tashkent. Photography by Laziz Hamani. Image courtesy of Assouline

Photo 5 of 5 The Mount Chatkal reserve. Photography by Laziz Hamani. Image courtesy of Assouline

By Yaffa Assouline
Photography by Laziz Hamani
Assouline

Uzbekistan’s location in Central Asia made it a sponge for a wide range of cultural influences, and the towns and cities all across the country are testament to it—a prime example being Samarkand, one of the cities along the Silk Road. Yaffa Assouline, managing director of the luxury book publisher, travelled across the country with photographer Laziz Hamani to capture the exotic architecture and beautiful scenery of a country that remains off the beaten track as a tourist destination.

David Hockey: My Window

Photo 1 of 5 Cover of David Hockey: My Window. Image courtesy of Taschen

Photo 2 of 5 No. 324. Drawn on May 27, 2009 on the iPhone. By David Hockney. Image courtesy of Taschen

Photo 3 of 5 No. 470. Drawn on June 17, 2009 on the iPhone. By David Hockney. Image courtesy of Taschen

Photo 4 of 5 No. 42. Drawn on April 16, 2010 on the iPad. By David Hockney. Image courtesy of Taschen

Photo 5 of 5 No. 133. Drawn on May 28, 2010 on the iPad. By David Hockney. Image courtesy of Taschen

By David Hockney and Hans Werner Holzwarth
Taschen

British artist David Hockney first started using an iPhone in 2009, followed by an iPad in 2010, and have come to see them as another medium for his art—the fact that he can flex his creative muscle before he even got out of bed in the morning was an added bonus. Hockney used both to capture the view outside his window at home, at different times of the day and at different seasons throughout the years, creating a picture diary of sorts. The art that was created on his iPhone feature broader lines and brighter colours, providing a contrast to the art created through his iPad, where there are more delicate lines and a sophisticated mix of shades. David Hockey: My Window contains 120 drawings from 2009 to 2012, arranged in chronological order by Hockney. The artist also signed each book— a collector’s edition that is numbered from 1,001 to 2,000.

Cabinet of Curiosities

Photo 1 of 5 Cover of Cabinet of Curiosities. Photography by Massimo Listri, Image courtesy of Taschen

Photo 2 of 5 Cabinets of curiosities featuring a collection of natural history artefacts by Clement Lafaille, at the Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle de la Rochelle. Photography by Massimo Listri, Image courtesy of Taschen

Photo 3 of 5 A collection of hourglasses from the 16-19th centuries, from Galerie Kugel in Paris. Photography by Massimo Listri, Image courtesy of Taschen

Photo 4 of 5 Cabinets of curiosities in Seitenstetten Abbey in Seitenstetten, Austria. Photography by Massimo Listri. Image courtesy of Taschen

Photo 5 of 5 A collection of cowrie shells on display at Seitenstetten Abbey. Photography by Massimo Listri. Image courtesy of Taschen

By Massimo Listri, with Giulia ML Carciotto and Antonio Paolucci as authors
Taschen

Cabinets of curiosities, also known as a Wunderkammer, houses a dazzling array of objects based on the collector’s interests—an opulent version of a catalogue for items from the fields of architecture, interior design, geology, botany and more. Aristocrats such as Francesco I de’ Medici, who was the grand duke of Tuscany, and Archduke Ferdinand II of Habsburg have indulged in the hobby, with the cabinet of curiosities seen as the precursor to the modern museum. Photographer Massimo Listri travelled to seven European countries to capture 19 chambers with their own treasure trove of curiosities, highlighting the most impressive finds from each collection.

Topics

Coffee table books Phaidon Assouline Taschen Home decor luxury books travel books

Tatler Asia

Eye Candy: The Latest Coffee Table Books To Have

Architizer: The World’s Best Architecture

By ArchitizerPhaidon

Cooking in Marfa: Welcome, We’ve Been Expecting You

By Virginia Lebermann and Rocky BernettePhotography by Douglas FriedmanPhaidon