WINDING DOWN

HYGGE

By Charlotte Abrahams Orion Books, R435 What is Hygge? Aside from being a really difficult concept to explain, it’s a Danish philosophy that encourages surrounding yourself with gentle, soothing things. Think candlelight, a bakery, dinner with friends. In a society where we’re constantly connected to technology, fighting against the clock and depriving ourselves of everything from sugar to gluten, a hygge way of life is a tempting alternative that may offer a key to happiness. In this book, Charlotte Abrahams explores what cherishing yourself actually means, and she weaves the history of hygge and its role in Danish culture with her own attempts to embrace a more hygge life. Stylishly designed and beautifully written, the book examines the impact of hygge on her home, her health, her relationships and her happiness.

100 CONTEMPORARY GREEN BUILDINGS

By Philip Jodidio Taschen, R841 With eco-architecture fast becoming a standard, we’re increasingly exposed to buildings that are pushing the boundaries when it comes to sustainability. This book brings together 100 brilliant examples of green projects by wellknown architects such as Frank Gehry and Norman Foster, as well as young, upand-coming creators from Latin America, the US, Europe and Asia. Being “green” can mean using passive solutions — which are as old as architecture itself — such as high ceilings, balconies, ponds and trees and it can include cuttingedge “active” technologies such as solar energy. Both approaches and many more are included in this collection of 100 of the world’s most innovative and recent eco-friendly buildings.