Ron Arad (1951-) is one of the most influential designers of our time, known for combining playful forms with innovative advanced technologies to create a unique design language. Born in Tel Aviv, he moved to London in 1973 to study architecture at the Architectural Association. However, Arad's creative career took off in the early 1980s when he gained recognition as a self-taught designer of sculptural furniture. His furniture designs seamlessly blend artistic expression with functionality, earning him a prominent position in the design world.
Although he is primarily known as a designer after graduating, Arad has never ceased his architectural endeavors. His studios in Covent Garden and Chalk Farm in London became vital hubs for his creations, attracting commissions for interior designs in the dining and retail sectors. Notable projects include the Belgo restaurants in London in 1994 and 1995, the technology floor of the Selfridges department store in London in 2001, and the Y’s Store in Tokyo for Japanese fashion designer Yohji Yamamoto in 2003.
Arad's architectural legacy is perhaps best exemplified by his largest built project, the Tel Aviv Opera House in 1994. For this project, Arad collaborated with his then-architectural partner Alison Brooks to redesign the foyer, creating a series of autonomous curvilinear structures within a building originally designed by another architect.
Arad's architectural works reflect his distinctive perspective on form and structure, bringing an artistic dimension to spaces. This book is the first comprehensive documentation of his architectural creations since 1991, showcasing how he has balanced design and architecture while influencing the global design and architectural landscape with his innovative approach.
Combining playful forms and experiments with advanced technologies, Ron Arad (1951-) has emerged as one of the most influential designers of our time. Born in Tel Aviv, he moved to London in 1973 to study architecture and made his name in the early 1980s as a self-taught designer-maker of sculptural furniture. Although Arad has been better known as a designer than an architect in the years since he graduated the Architectural Association, architectural projects have been continuous. Commissions for retail and restaurant interiors followed the opening of his Covent Garden and Chalk Farm studios, notably the Belgo restaurants in London 1994 and 1995, the 2001 technology floor of the Selfridges department store in London and the 2003 Y’s Store for the Japanese fashion designer Yohji Yamamoto in Tokyo. Arad’s largest built project is the 1994 Tel Aviv Opera House, for which he and his then architectural partner Alison Brooks designed a series of autonomous curvilinear structures within the foyer of a building which was the work of another architect. This book is the first to survey Arad’s architecture from 1991 to the present day.
