The ABC's of Triangle, Square, Circle

"… accomplishes what the other books on the Bauhaus don't, which is to demonstrate, in concise language and clear graphics, exactly how Bauhaus design theory works in practice."—The Wall Street Journal
 
"A fascinating work of design theory and graphic design." —Architectural Record
 
"…an extremely important primer for anyone who knows the legend but not the story of the Bauhaus and its methods."—Steven Heller, The Daily Heller
 
 A new edition of a design classic on the Bauhaus, with a preface by leading designers Ellen Lupton and J. Abbot Miller.

Originally published in 1991, The ABC’s of Triangle, Square, Circle traces the origin and impact of the Bauhaus (the legendary art school in Dessau, Germany, operational from 1919 to 1933, that transformed architecture and design around the world) in relation to design, psychoanalysis, geometry, early childhood education, and popular culture.
 
The text is a provocative exploration of the school’s aims and achievements, while the book itself is a manifesto of Bauhaus ideals, synthesizing editorial concept, typography, and craftsmanship.
 
Designed in a manner that honors the aspirations of the Bauhaus, this extraordinary manual is a source of inspiration for design professionals and students and a revelation for all those interested in twentieth-century culture.

“"This rare beauty is among the early joint works of its illustrious editors. It is also an extremely important primer for anyone who knows the legend but not the story of the Bauhaus and its methods....The Princeton Architectural Press new hardcover version is a standard for any design history class." - Steven Heller, The Daily Heller-- -”

"The book disquiets the mythology surrounding the Bauhaus by dissecting the conflicting principles of design, form and visual perception. [...] Whilst challenging the ambitions of the movement, the monograph presents design criticism through precisely assembled diagrams and layouts in a manner that recognises the Bauhaus’ pedagogical and theoretically self-conscious ideals.” -- Aesthetica

Ellen Lupton is the senior curator of contemporary design at Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum and founding director of the Graphic Design MFA program at Maryland Institute College of Art. She is author of Thinking with Type and Graphic Design: The New Basics.

J. Abbott Miller uses design to explore and interpret art, architecture, performance, fashion, and design. As a partner in the New York office of Pentagram, he combines the work of editor, writer, curator, and designer.

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