Material and Detail in Furniture Design - 7th Edition

Prof. Dr. Genco Berkin's new book, Material and Detail in Furniture Design, prepared primarily for industrial design, interior architecture, and architecture students, as well as designers and practitioners just starting their careers, has been published by YEM Yayın.

The book, along with Material and Detail in Architecture and Material and Detail in Interior Architecture, which were also prepared by Genco Berkin in previous years and quickly became fundamental reference sources due to their popularity, forms YEM Yayın's "Material and Detail Series."

As with the previous books in the series, the book, with graphic design and illustrations by Sedef Sav, features contemporary furniture designs of 10 different types by 40 world-renowned designers and architects. Along with the selected designers, the aim is to take a brief journey through 'the history of contemporary furniture design,' presenting both the 40 pioneering figures and their masterful works to the reader.

To achieve successful results in furniture design, it is first necessary to determine the material. Looking at the recent history of furniture, it can be seen that important designers used innovative production techniques that highlighted the material to add a different quality to the product. In Material and Detail in Furniture Design, especially for young designers, the material selection criteria and data supported by details of pioneering designers are conveyed in a simple and easy-to-understand manner, accompanied by carefully prepared drawings, with the aim of supporting the design process focusing on detail and material.

In the book Material and Detail in Furniture Design, the 40 designers and their furniture, such as Michael Thonet (Chair No. 14), Kaare Klint (Faaborg and Safari Chair), Gunnar Asplund (Grace Cinema Seat), Lilly Reich (Reich Curtains), Eileen Gray (Transat Chair), Richard Neutra (Camel Table), Alvar Aalto (Paimo Armchair), Vico Magistretti (Cinqueterre Kitchen), Vladimir Kagan (Serpentine Sofa), Carlo Scarpa (Doge Dining Table), Ettore Sottsass (Sistema 45 Office Furniture), Norman Foster (Nomos Office Desk), Aziz Sarıyer (Mono Armchair), Philippe Starck (WW Stool), Toyo Ito (Ripples Bench), Atilla Kuzu (Open Kitchen), were selected either for having a valuable story in terms of ergonomics or for pioneering breakthroughs in production technology.

The book was planned considering that those new to furniture design often lack the courage to imagine new furniture and therefore struggle to start designing. To spark the inspiration needed for an initial design, the educational processes, sources of inspiration, and cultural backgrounds of globally known designers are presented with rich narrative examples to encourage young designers.

Prof. Dr. Genco Berkin summarizes the rationale and content of the book as follows:

My aim in writing the book Material and Detail in Furniture Design is to make architects, interior architects, and industrial product designers say, 'I can design furniture!' after reading the book and internalizing the information provided. They say, 'Half the battle of finishing a job is starting it.'
I realized that many of my students participating in interior architecture project courses lacked sufficient knowledge about furniture design, preventing them from having the courage to imagine new furniture, and thus experiencing difficulty in starting their designs. In fact, what will make that initial start is the very inspiration that will come to them. Inspiration emerges after a person gains knowledge, is nourished by environmental factors, and internalizes them. Therefore, narratives enriched with cases and examples formed the main structure of this book. For this reason, I tried to present the mentors and cultural backgrounds that influenced many designers' inspirations within their development processes. On the other hand, since the design process is enriched by the accumulation of a visual repertoire, I prepared a selection supported by material selection criteria and details to create awareness in this regard, touching upon 10 different types of furniture designs by 40 pioneering designers.

In furniture design, detailing begins primarily with determining the material; then comes the shaping of the material (e.g., obtaining profiles + bending processes), and finally, it is completed by joining with the same or different materials (e.g., stitching, welding, or riveting). Looking at the recent past of furniture, we see that pioneering designers used innovative production techniques to highlight the material to add a different characteristic to the product. Thus, designs acquire the quality, as Otto Wagner said, of 'reflecting their era.'

This book examines the masterpieces of 40 famous furniture designers and architects. The designers and furniture discussed and analyzed are those with a valuable story in terms of ergonomics or those that pioneered breakthroughs in production technology. Of course, many other valuable pieces of furniture have been produced besides these designs. However, I was compelled to create a didactic selection. I tried my best to identify the most important designers and discuss their prominent works...

Considering that the book is one of the few works written and published on furniture design and designers in Turkish literature, it is expected to greatly contribute to interior architecture, architecture, and industrial product design students, new graduates of these departments, and furniture manufacturers in the sector. As a faculty member, I hope that the number of such books will rapidly increase. I owe my thanks to everyone who contributed to the preparation of this beautiful book."

WHO IS PROF. DR. GENCO BERKIN?

Born in Niğde in 1971, Genco Berkin completed his secondary education at Kadıköy Anatolian High School in 1990. Genco Berkin, who studied architecture at Brighton (England) and European University of Lefke (TRNC), began his academic career as a research assistant in 1995 after receiving an offer from his alma mater.

In 1998, he completed his master's degree with his thesis "Architectural Utopias" in the field of Architectural History at Eastern Mediterranean University. In 2006, he earned his Ph.D. with his work at Mimar Sinan University, Faculty of Architecture, Department of Building Physics and Materials; in 2015, he became an associate professor; in 2020, he became a professor at Fatih Sultan Mehmet Vakıf University, Faculty of Architecture and Design.

Genco Berkin, who teaches architecture and interior architecture courses at various universities, has conducted research and development studies on "ecological glass in architecture" and developed ideas on "improving project-design courses." Berkin, who particularly focuses on combining ergonomics and technology in furniture designs, has also produced numerous works on this subject. Prof. Dr. Genco Berkin currently serves as the Dean of the Faculty of Art and Design at Istanbul Nişantaşı University.

Books by Genco Berkin published by YEM Yayın:

• Material and Detail in Furniture Design
• Material and Detail in Interior Architecture
• Material and Detail in Architecture
• In the Footsteps of Wood: A Dictionary of Forest Products in Design
• Modulor and Le Corbusier's Cabin
• From Square to Plan: Module and Architecture (with Yusuf Civelek)