The Abc's of Triangle Square Circle - by J Abbott Miller & Ellen Lupton (Hardcover)

About the Book

First published in the USA in 1991 to accompany the exhibition, "The ABCs of [Triangle Square Circle]: The Bauhaus and Design Theory from Preschool to Post-Modernism"--Colophon.

Book Synopsis

"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 new edition of a design classic on the Bauhaus with an updated preface by leading designers Ellen Lupton and J. Abbot Miller.

This intricately designed art and essay book celebrates the achievements and honors the history of the Bauhaus school and its lasting impression on architecture and graphic design around the world. The ABCs of Triangle, Square, Circle is both an homage to the school's iconic craftsmanship and a source of inspiration for design professionals and students.

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. Ten essays by a range of creatives, including editors Ellen Lupton and J. Abbott Miller, filmmaker and graphic designer Mike Mills, and writer Tori Egherman, discuss Bauhaus's impact on modernism, architecture, design theory, and more.

This extraordinary manual is a perfect gift for:

• Those interested in mid-century design, architecture, or color theory
• Anyone looking for unique insight into the Bauhaus' effect on popular culture
• Students seeking information on important innovations in design history

This new edition, designed to honor the Bauhaus's aspirations, is essential for anyone interested in graphic design and twentieth-century culture.

Review Quotes

"[T]he most revealing of all the recent books on this subject might be the thinnest ... The book is just 69 pages, but it 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

"[2019] was the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Bauhaus school of design in Weimar, Germany. Muchmore than an architectural style, the school promoted an educational theory and a strict design language. This is a reissue of a 1991 book, part design history, part playful typographic investigation into the Bauhaus process. This book will appeal to anyone particularly interested in the school's approach to graphic design, and its enduring influence."
- Financial Times (London)

"A fascinating work of design theory and graphic design."
- Architectural Record

"Edited by two renowned graphic designers, The ABC's of ?]? lives up to its subject in its own design, which elegantly integrates copious drawings, photographs, and typographic samples."
- CityLab

"From graphic design to psychoanalysis, childhood education and beyond, [the Bauhasu's] influence is undeniable. Along with typographical design, diagrams, symbols and various illustrations, [The ABCs of Triangle, Square, Circle: The Bauhaus and Design Theory] is a fascinating lesson in a wildly significant movement."
- Cool Hunting

"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

About the Author

Ellen Lupton is Curator Emerita at Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York City, and founding director of the Graphic Design MFA program at Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore. She is the author of numerous books about graphic design, including Thinking with Type, Graphic Design: The New Basics, and Extra Bold: A Feminist, Inclusive, Anti-racist, Nonbinary Field Guide for Graphic Designers.

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. In 2014, Abbot Miller: Design and Content was published as the first comprehensive monograph of Miller's work.