A distinctively designed, beautifully photographed interior design book that showcases the incredible spaces and stories of creative desert dwellers by writer-photographer duo Molly Mandell and James Burke
From tips on cultivating the unpretentious, highly functional aesthetic environment synonymous with the desert to images evoking mindful living, the book is both a celebration of a uniquely inspiring climate, its spaces, and most memorable personalities as well as a manual for adopting elements of this lifestyle—no matter your location—through intentional design.
Desert by Design explores the spaces and stories of those who live in the desert, from Marfa, Texas, residents and writer-photographer duo Molly Mandell and James Burke.
From West Texas and Southern California to Chile, South Africa, Morocco, and the United Arab Emirates and more, this comprehensive, global look at desert living offers insight into extraordinary architecture and interiors, while exploring the vibrant creative communities that have formed in these distinctive climates.
The desert—with its incomparable vistas, sounds, flora, and fauna—is a landscape filled with equal parts mystery and beauty that has always attracted artists, architects, designers, and any creative looking for inspiration and independence. Authors Mandell and Burke felt the pull of the desert themselves, moving to the artistic desert community of Marfa, Texas, and now display their impeccable eye for design and extensive connections in the design community to present a wide-ranging, nuanced view.
Interior tours—private homes, independent hotels, and projects like Paolo Soleri’s Arcosanti and James Turrell’s Roden Crater—are the heart of Desert by Design. In addition, archival profiles look into the preserved spaces of famed desert dwellers, such as architects Albert Frey and Frank Lloyd Wright, artists Georgia O’Keeffe and Donald Judd, and fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent (see below for a list of the locations and personalities featured).
In-depth analysis and interviews are paired with original images shot by the authors, ranging from portraiture to candid and, of course, interior shots, bringing desert life into full view. These spaces are all more than the objects that inhabit them—they are intimate and tangible accounts of their creators and encouragement for those who aspire to curate their own oasis.
Molly Mandell and James Burke are arts and culture writers, photographers, and producers. Their work has appeared in the likes of Kinfolk, where Mandell was formerly an editor, Wallpaper*, Monocle, Vogue Mexico, and the Los Angeles Times. In 2018, Mandell and Burke authored their first book, Made in Cuba, and served as the editor and art director and the copy editor, respectively, for Nathan Williams’s The Eye. More recently, they have comprised the editorial team for the platform Creative Voyage and acted as creative directors for burgeoning hospitality concepts around the globe. When not on the road, the duo resides in the artistic enclave of Marfa, Texas, where they are actively developing a cross-cultural, multidisciplinary residency program based in the Chihuahuan Desert and the land where Mexico and the United States meet.
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