The Art of Impossible: The Bang & Olufsen Design Story

A design monograph for people who care about how objects shape everyday life. The Art of Impossible: The Bang & Olufsen Design Story is a hardcover celebration of a brand that treats audio gear like architecture, showing how form and function meet without shouting for attention.

You get designer essays, production notes, and prototypes that reveal the thinking behind signature lines. The layout is clean and spacious, with full‑page photography that highlights materials, machining, and those precise interfaces B&O is known for. It’s not a catalog; it’s process and philosophy, including models that never shipped and cross‑sections that expose how components are arranged to feel effortless in use.

As a reviewer, what stands out is the restraint. Edges are crisp, controls feel purposeful, and proportions hold even when viewed in parts. The book mirrors that discipline with minimal typography, consistent grid, and images placed to let details breathe. It’s the kind of reference you keep near your desk when designing anything that needs to look good and work better.