Design Theory Books

Books that develop critical language for seeing, judging, and thinking about design decisions. 13 books.

new-program-for-graphic-design

A *New* Program for Graphic Design

David Reinfurt

A Pattern Language book cover

A Pattern Language

Christopher Alexander, Sara Ishikawa, Murray Silverstein

artandvisualperception

Art and Visual Perception

Rudolf Arnheim

Design Justice book cover

Design Justice

Sasha Costanza-Chock

designasart

Design as Art

Bruno Munari

Design for the Real World book cover

Design for the Real World

Victor Papanek

designingdesign

Designing Design

Kenya Hara

massivechange

Massive Change

Bruce Mau

Notes on the Synthesis of Form book cover

Notes on the Synthesis of Form

Christopher Alexander

lawsofsimplicitiy

The Laws of Simplicity

John Maeda

The Shape of Design book cover

The Shape of Design

Frank Chimero

Thinking in Systems book cover

Thinking in Systems

Donella H. Meadows

visualthinking

Visual Thinking

Rudolf Arnheim