Written for architects, interior designers, and color consultants, this ambitious study explores the psychological and physiological effects of color in the man-made environment. Scientific findings and industry-by-industry examples are furnished to help professionals specify colors that will create healthful environments in hospitals, schools, restaurants, and other public facilities.

Original publication and copyright date: 1978.

Colors are an element of both the natural and the man-made environments. They convey messages of all kinds and perform a wide variety of functions, informing, organizing, warning. But they also serve an aesthetic purpose, affecting the statement, effect, and acceptance of objects and spaces. While people’s reactions to color vary widely, in design questions it is still possible to establish generally valid color concepts to match the expectations of the various groups of users. This book offers a guide based on a wide range of scientific findings and may be consulted as an authoritative reference by the architecture student and the professional alike. The three editors, Dr. B. Rodeck, Prof. G. Meerwein, and F. H. Mahnke have taught for many years at the Salzburger Seminare für Farbe und Umwelt der IACC.

Architect and consultant Mahnke has specialized in the effects and use of color. Primarily for professionals in planning and designing human facilities, he describes the properties and effects of color and makes specific recommendations of its use in environments ranging from school gymnasiums to hospital EKG rooms and industrial foundries. Includes 60 color plates. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

In a time of climate change and mass extinction, how we garden matters more than ever: “An outstanding and deeply passionate book.” —Marc Bekoff, author of The Emotional Lives of Animals Plenty of books tell home gardeners and professional landscape designers how to garden sustainably, what plants to use, and what resources to explore. Yet few examine why our urban wildlife gardens matter so much—not just for ourselves, but for the larger human and animal communities. Our landscapes push aside wildlife and in turn diminish our genetically programmed love for wildness. How can we get ourselves back into balance through gardens, to speak life's language and learn from other species? Benjamin Vogt addresses why we need a new garden ethic, and why we urgently need wildness in our daily lives—lives sequestered in buildings surrounded by monocultures of lawn and concrete that significantly harm our physical and mental health. He examines the psychological issues around climate change and mass extinction as a way to understand how we are short-circuiting our response to global crises, especially by not growing native plants in our gardens. Simply put, environmentalism is not political; it's social justice for all species marginalized today and for those facing extinction tomorrow. By thinking deeply and honestly about our built landscapes, we can create a compassionate activism that connects us more profoundly to nature and to one another.

A classic study of the profound effect of color in the places we inhabit, our homes, offices, factories, hospitals and schools. The author shares his findings and the practical applications toward healthier and more creative environments. This revised edition includes a chapter on the changing environment caused by the computer.