Peter Shire’s Grand Tour

Peter Shire’s Grand Tour: A Snapshot of Design History, 1980–1989, edited by Christoph Radl, is a deeply personal photo diary chronicling the decade of Memphis—‘the last design revolution’, headed by maestro Ettore Sottsass, the leaning tower of Italian design.

This book expands on Apartamento’s long-standing exploration of Memphis, Italian Radical Design, and their peripheries. It follows early features on Nathalie Du Pasquier, Alessandro Mendini, Andrea Branzi, Santi Caleca, Peter Shire himself, as well as conversations with Gianni Pettena, Ugo La Pietra, and Lapo Binazzi, and more. Peter Shire’s Grand Tour offers an unfiltered snapshot into design history, seen through the eyes of a young artist who was simply living it—an outsider, in a way, on the inside.

Published by Apartamento Publishing S.L.
First edition: April 15, 2025
Dimensions: 224 x 152mm
Pages: 420
Binding: hardcover