Edited with foreword and introduction by Eleanor Watson, James Bird. Text by Thomas Turner, Sam Handy, Jacques Herzog, et al. Interview by Justin McGuirk, James Bird.
The design story of soccer, from stadium planning to team badges
Soccer is unquestionably the world’s most popular sport, with a dedicated fan base and truly international reach. It is also a significant industry, with European soccer alone being estimated to hold a value of $30 billion in 2016. How did soccer evolve to be such a significant part of our cultural landscape, and what role has design played in shaping the sport? This catalog—the first of its kind—explores the design story behind soccer, unpicking how design has been used to push the game to its technical and emotional limits. From the master-planning of the world’s most significant stadiums to the innovative materials used in today’s boots, the graphic design of team badges and the grassroots initiatives pushing back against the sport’s commercialization, this book provides a rare insight into the people and processes that have made soccer what it is today. Accompanying the Design Museum exhibition of the same name, this book features informed and sometimes provocative contributions from figures across the world of football and design, from analyst Statman Dave and broadcaster Martin Tyler to architect Jacques Herzog and Adidas vice president Sam Handy.
Spreads from
PRAISE AND REVIEWS
It's Nice That
Anita Abayomi
Sets a gentle reminder that the game of football can be so simple, despite the complex rollercoaster it takes to reach perfection.
Featured spreads are from Football: Designing the Beautiful Game, the first major take on the simple yet often radical design history of the world’s most popular game—taking into consideration the architects, engineers, inventors, designers—and even the fans—who have helped shape the game. Published to accompany the exhibition currently on view at the Design Museum in London, this luxurious, 304-page hardcover is a legitimately gorgeous design object in and of itself. "Anyone can play football at little cost, which allows talent and creativity to flourish in incredibly diverse settings," James Bird and Eleanor Watson write. "As with all professional sports, however, football is forever searching for a competitive edge. From lightweight boots that offer greater freedom of movement, and more aerodynamic balls, to shock-absorbent pitches and restorative exercise routines, the football industry is continually devising new tools to enable teams to play longer, faster and more consistently. The development of these tools presents a concise history of football's professionalization, illustrating the ever-increasing resources that are dedicated to producing elite athletes." continue to blog
FORMAT: Hbk, 8.25 x 10.75 in. / 304 pgs / 200 color. LIST PRICE: U.S. $45.00 LIST PRICE: CANADA $63 ISBN: 9781872005614 PUBLISHER: The Design Museum AVAILABLE: 8/23/2022 DISTRIBUTION: D.A.P. RETAILER DISC: TRADE PUBLISHING STATUS: Out of stock indefinitely AVAILABILITY: Not available TERRITORY: NA ONLY
Published by The Design Museum. Edited with foreword and introduction by Eleanor Watson, James Bird. Text by Thomas Turner, Sam Handy, Jacques Herzog, et al. Interview by Justin McGuirk, James Bird.
The design story of soccer, from stadium planning to team badges
Soccer is unquestionably the world’s most popular sport, with a dedicated fan base and truly international reach. It is also a significant industry, with European soccer alone being estimated to hold a value of $30 billion in 2016. How did soccer evolve to be such a significant part of our cultural landscape, and what role has design played in shaping the sport?
This catalog—the first of its kind—explores the design story behind soccer, unpicking how design has been used to push the game to its technical and emotional limits. From the master-planning of the world’s most significant stadiums to the innovative materials used in today’s boots, the graphic design of team badges and the grassroots initiatives pushing back against the sport’s commercialization, this book provides a rare insight into the people and processes that have made soccer what it is today.
Accompanying the Design Museum exhibition of the same name, this book features informed and sometimes provocative contributions from figures across the world of football and design, from analyst Statman Dave and broadcaster Martin Tyler to architect Jacques Herzog and Adidas vice president Sam Handy.
