David Vanden-Eynden wrote the preface to the book, which features the work of dozens of the world’s finest environmental graphic designers. Several of C&VE’s projects, including the Virginia Beach Convention Center and Crate and Barrel World Headquarters, are featured in the book. — A.M.

Designers’ work is inevitably compromised by those in power, sometimes to tragic end. World Trade Center architect Minoru Yamasaki’s original proposal was for two 80-story towers, but developers demanded more rentable space and up to 110 stories. Yamasaki also conceded to reducing escape routes in each tower from six to three and clustering them in the center of the buildings. Some argue that more escape routes would have resulted in more lives saved during 9/11.

In his new book Design and Truth, Robert Grudin traces other instances throughout history when design honesty played crucial roles.

His definition of design is universal: The Declaration of Independence, Heidegger’s philosophy, and Ford’s Edsel are all cited. But in the final analysis, says Grudin, “Good design enables honest and effective engagement with the world…Poor design is symptomatic either of inadequate insight or of a fraudulent and exploitative strategy of production. If good design tells the truth, poor design tells a lie, a lie usually related, in one way or another, to the getting or abuse of power.” — P.M.K.

Phaidon Press has gotten into the iPad content race early with its hastily released version of its three-volume Phaidon Design Classics series, which charts 200 years of product design, from Marcel Breuer to Eero Saaarinen. Phaidon says the iPad version was built to leverage iPad’s Multi-Touch functions, with objects organized chronologically and accessed via a timeline. Reviews are very mixed, but you can judge for yourself after visiting the iTunes store and paying $19.99 for the set. — P.M.K.