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When James Whitaker of Whitaker Studio designed the Joshua Tree Residence, it was a dreamscape, a wistful rendering of shipping containers radiating out of the hillside. It’s a dream coming true: A film producer has commissioned Whitaker to bring the renderings to life, and construction is scheduled to begin early next year in Southern California. It has yet to be determined how true to plan the Joshua Tree Residence will be when built, but if the sketches are to be believe, it will surely be a striking addition to the already gorgeous landscapes. 

Take a look inside the far-out world of visionary interiors in recent release Inside Utopia. 

On the surface, there’s nothing out of the ordinary in the Brooke DiDonato’s work: Floral shirts, black leather oxfords, and fresh cut flowers are commonplace in many households. However, it’s how she weaves them together that moves toward surreality. Green stems lace up a pair of shoes in one image; a prickly palm appears to curve down to the Earth toward a model’s face in another. Indeed, she says, “I’ve been interested in making images that take the banality of the everyday and twist it into something unfamiliar”.

See more surrealism from artists around the world in our selection of Gestalten books on art. 

Photographer Ludwig Favre puts placid pastels front and center in his thoughtfully-composed images. A fervent traveler, Favre seeks out peaceful places where bright, bold, and beautiful colors augment the architecture’s aesthetic—his series “Colorful University” is one of many examples. He explored a central courtyard of the renowned Jussieu Campus in Paris, playing with the the slick curves and striking streaks of color in each image. See more of his work on his site, or browse our book The Tale of Tomorrow for more forward-thinking aesthetics pushing the limits of architecture. 

The island of Krokholmen is windy year round, with fresh air breezing across Stockholm’s outer archipelago and across the sea-side site of this home by Tham & Videgård. Screens made of wood and glass, however, stay put through the harshest of gales due to the in-situ concrete foundation that flattens the gentle incline upon which the house was built. A central horizontal axis leads both the interior and exterior spaces, with most individual rooms sprouting off a central wall inside and a steep concave open-gable roof guiding the home’s striking silhouette from the outside. The architects were inspired by old school Swedish pavilions and gazebos: They took the easy, breezy vibes of the summer and paired it with a clean and sophisticated touch.

See more in our selection of Gestalten books about architecture. 

November Shop of the Month

There is an unbeatable charm that lives in every bookshop: From the smell of crisp paper to the inevitable coffee breaks, book stores are an oasis from the hustle and bustle of inner-city streets. For Prague’s residents and visitors alike, Book Therapy offers a wide selection of hand-picked titles set against a refreshing and contemporary interior. 

How did it all start?

The idea of opening a book store first came to our minds last summer, which was when we were looking for a space ideal for another project. After seeing the raw, empty space with amazing windows and a high ceiling, my husband and both said at almost at the same moment, “We should open a book store here”.

Why did you decide to open a store?

Every time we travel to a different city, one of the first shops we visit is a nice book store with an interesting book selection. And, in Prague, we were missing some of proper quality—you could say we just brought a bit of our holiday ritual to Prague.

How would you describe the neighborhood in which the store is located?

Book Therapy is located in one of the most important residential areas of Prague’s city center. Theatre of Vinohrady can be seen from the doors of the shop, and you can find really interesting coffee shops and restaurants in the neighborhood.

In terms of books and other merchandise, what do you offer your customers?

The range of books is wide, but what we really do care about is the number of titles you can find in Book Therapy. Our strategy is keeping the stock strictly limited to 400 book titles and focusing on the curated selection—a selection so great that one could easily find hundreds of books you’d love to have at home.

What are your favorite Gestalten books?

We really love Upgrade, Traditional Couture, Wanderlust, The Journey, and New Romance.

What are your customers’ favorite Gestalten books?

The Monocle Travel Guide series, Small Homes, Grand Living, Upgrade, and Scandinavia Dreaming.

What kinds of people shop there? Who might be seen visiting the store?

The shop is for people like us: those who don't have the time or the will to search for one book across three shop floors, and for people who love design, traveling, cooking, and so on.