Elegance represents an important watershed in architectural design. Since the onset of computer-driven technologies, innovative designers have, almost exclusively, been preoccupied with the pursuit of digital techniques. This issue of AD extrapolates current design tendencies and brings them together to present a new type of architecture, one that is seamlessly trying processes, space, structure and material together with beauty. ‘Elegance’ here is cast with a new contemporary meaning as it is applied to work that is effortlessly complex. It is analogous to an elegant algorithm that uses a small amount of initiative code to great effect. In a structure elegance may be expressed by a complex surface that retains its continuity and integrity even when punctured. In many ways, Elegance marks a coming of age for, ‘digital architecture’, as architects become more adept at producing complexity and integrating digital design technologies, production and assembly systems producing elegant solutions. It is the potent finesse that is often associated with the work of Zaha Hadid Architects and other featured architects, such as Mark Goulthorpe of Decoi and Hani Rashid of Asymptote.

An intimate look at the extraordinary figures and natural beauty of California, the world's pacesetter for the twenty-first century, in all its diversity. Through the photographs by Aranda and a combination of profiles and stories by Suppes, a lifelong Californian, the pair depict the unique personalities and natural beauty of the state, as well as its significant sites. Profiles and portraits include Governor Gavin Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, politicians Willie Brown and Jackie Speier, actor Kirsten Dunst, Glide Memorial Church pastor Cecil Williams, fashion designers Laura and Kate Mulleavy and Johnston Hartig, Queen Sugar author Natalie Baszile, young NASA scientists, social activists, farmers, firefighters, and award-winning astronomer Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz. From San Francisco's most significant players to the innovation hub of Silicon Valley and the creative buzz of Hollywood, California Elegance brings you the very best of the Golden State. The changing landscapes of San Francisco, the redwood forests of Humboldt, the sands of Death Valley, the wonders of Yosemite, the slopes of Lake Tahoe, the bustle of Silicon Valley, the glamour of Hollywood and so much more are chronicled by Frederic Aranda and Christine Suppes.

The original What Not to Wear from one of fashion's most enduringly stylish women ... Written by French style guru Madame Genevieve Antoine Dariaux, Elegance is a classic style bible for timeless chic, grace, and poise -- every tidbit of advice today's woman could possibly need, all at the tips of her (perfectly manicured) fingers. From Accessories to Zippers, Madame Dariaux imparts her pearls of wisdom on all things fashion-related -- and also offers advice on other crucial areas in life from shopping with girlfriends (don't) to marriage and sex.

Modern fashion photography was born when three brothers, Parisian postcard photographers, shifted their lenses to the upper echelon of French society in the early twentieth century. As impromptu portraits of beautiful women in inimitable finery at racecourses, resorts, and cafs began to appear in magazines, courant designers such as Chanel, Herms, and Madeleine Vionnet rushed to send their models to posh watering holes to be photographed with the beau monde. The first-ever showcase of 300 rich black and white Seberger images, this luxe collection is a must-have for fashionistas, Francophiles, and vintage clothing enthusiasts. Elegance recalls a bygone era of glamour, and illuminates the candid beginnings of a now highly stylized photographic form.

AD100 and Elle Decor A-List designer Timothy Corrigan shares his secrets for creating rooms that are elegant and comfortable, luxurious yet livable. Throughout his career, Corrigan has established a look that is layered and detailed, while always suitable for the way people live today. His distinctive approach encompasses practicality as well as beauty, merging European refinement with California comfort. Here, Corrigan shares homes in which he has defined a new contemporary elegance, including a John Fowler-inspired London townhouse, a Hollywood Regency-inspired Los Angeles Colonial, an art-filled Chicago apartment in the sky, and Corrigan's own Paris pied-à-terre. Corrigan includes advice throughout on how to adapt classic design principles and traditional forms to make them work for busy modern lives. Between each chapter are instructive interludes in which Corrigan outlines the building blocks of successful decoration, with fundamental topics such as scale and proportion, symmetry, architectural details, and working with color.

If you always wanted to create a Baltimore Album quilt, you'll love Elly Sienkiewicz' new collection of smaller, less-complex blocks that are perfect for your first Baltimore Album. Or, enlarge the blocks for a larger work! More than two dozen block designs are also ideal for adding elegance to accessories and home dcor, or for creating a very special child's quilt. In-depth how-tos and Elly's skill-building lessons will have you creating block after block.

Caribbean Elegance is an illustrated survey of the lifestyles, dwellings and varied furniture styles and decor of the island groups that make up the Caribbean region. It also includes a brief history of the islands and their economies.