Started in Italy in 1928 by Gio Ponti, Domus has established itself as one of the most respected, and longest-running architecture & design publications. It is refreshing to see that it has also been able to embrace new technology in such a graceful way, as seen in their new iPad app. An almost 5 out-of 5 stars after numerous reviews is almost unprecedented for a new app!
This article is brought to you by Domus
Domus initially unveiled the new iPad app in Venice, at the Biennale, on August 28th 2012, complementing the existing magazine, website, apps and social media channels.
The Domus app presents each magazine issue in a format optimized for the digital tablet experience. Adding to the text and images found in the print magazine, the app offers exclusive interviews and videos, behind-the-scenes footage, amazing architecture photography, as well as interactive diagrams and features.
The app will also highlight specially selected historical material from the archives of Domus, from the previous 84 years of publication.
The Domus app was created on the Adobe platform, and designed by Domus's creative director Marco Ferrari, with the collaboration of interaction designers Manuel Ehrenfeld and Dan Hill.
Dan Hill, in a blog post on his own site, describing the process of the app development, shared the following..
I suggested to Joseph we throw the ECM app down as a marker, and see what we can do with the Adobe platform for Domus. Marco Ferrari, the creative director at Domus, then took a look and we kicked some salient points around in email a little. I suggested we take the basic navigation, add in a very simple in-article vertical navigation, let the layout breathe as much as possible …
Marco then did some first quick layouts. These were immediately appealing...
Features of the app include:
The Domus iPad app is free to download from the app store. Some previous issues are free to download, with other issues currently priced at US$6.99.
Subscribers to the iPad edition save up to 32% while print subscribers get the iPad editions for free.
About Domus
Domus is a monthly magazine of contemporary architecture, design and art. For over 80 years it has been one of the most authoritative voices in the fields of architecture and design: to this day it remains an internationally recognised platform of excellence for innovative thinking, influential criticism and compelling intellectual debate.
Domus was first published on January 15th, 1928. The magazine’s first subheading was “Architettura e arredamento dell’abitazione moderna in città e in campagna” or ”‘Architecture and interior design of modern homes in the city and the countryside”. Founded with the clear intent of breathing new life into Italian architecture, interior design and decorative arts, it achieved renown as the prime narrator of the 20th century’s great architectural movements. Ponti edited Domus from 1928 until 1940 and again from 1948 to 1979.
Numerous prestigious thinkers and practitioners succeeded Ponti at the magazine’s helm: Massimo Bontempelli, Giuseppe Pagano, Melchiorre Bega, Guglielmo Ulrich, Ernesto Nathan Rogers, Cesare Casati, Alessandro Mendini, Lisa Licitra Ponti, Mario Bellini, Vittorio Magnago Lampugnani, François Burkhardt, Deyan Sudjic, Stefano Boeri and Flavio Albanese. In April 2011 the editorship passed to Joseph Grima.
Domus is entirely bilingual—Italian and English—and has a current circulation of 51,000 copies, half of which are distributed globally in 89 countries to subscribers, libraries and the bookshops of the world’s major museums. The last years have seen the birth of many local editions of the magazine, including China, Russia, Israel, Arabia, India, Central America and Mexico. Domus’ editorial offices are located in Milan, Italy.
No Comments
Block this user
Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?
Archinect
This is your first comment on Archinect. Your comment will be visible once approved.