While many young designers perceive a design studio to belittle more than a table and computer, the majority of businesses consider thephysical locale and architectural surroundings of a firm to be as important asthe work that is produced. <em>Design Firms Open for Business</em> is a firsthand look inside studios and offices, bothlarge and small, from all over the world. The inner workings of more than 40different-sized and variously focused design establishments are explored,offering keen insights into firms working on everything from two- tothree-dimensional projects. Designers reveal their thinking about a broadspectrum of important issues, ranging from the names they selected to theunderlying philosophy of their practices to the business models they employ.Profusely illustrated with photos of both specific work and working environments,this book provides a unique blend of analysis and biography rolled into one.Each firm is placed in the spotlight, providing an array of successful modelsto consider by those who are looking to start their own ventures and by thoseexperienced professionals looking for fresh ideas.