Is Polish design polished—or is polish the design? PLOP #01—Polish Design Revue
explores the tension between Polish identity, global aesthetics, and the endless act of polishing. Through sharp questions and critical perspectives, this quarterly revue investigates what happens when Polish design becomes polished, overpolished, depolished—or something entirely new.

Published by Slanted Publishers in collaboration with Threedotstype and the Polish Graphic Design Foundation, PLOP invites readers to rethink authorship, style, quality, and cultural context in contemporary Polish graphic design. The first issue features works by Martyna Wędzicka, Kuki Iwański, and Paweł Mildner, an essay by Aleksandra Tulibacka, and edgy forms of the Radius typeface.

PLOP is a thought-provoking snapshot of current debates in Polish visual culture—questioning whether polish enhances identity or erases it.

The English-language magazine was edited by Rene Wawrzkiewicz together with Lars Harmsen and Marian Misiak who took care of the design. The saddle-stitched brochure was offset printed and has 24 pages measuring 21×29.7 cm. ISBN 978-3-69202–007-5

Mister Wrocław is a book, an album and a walking guide dedicated to residents, visitors, and anyone interested in the architectural landscape of Wrocław (Poland). The publication revisits the legacy of postwar modernism in the city, following the path of the historic “Mister Wrocław” competition, a public referendum that, between 1960 and 1977, animated the pages of the local press, engaged citizens, and fostered a spirit of creative rivalry among architects.

The book proposes four routes through the city, guiding readers to both iconic buildings and lesser-known structures whose bold original visions have sometimes faded through time or transformation. In this sense, the project functions not only as a guide but also as a cultural archive, reconnecting contemporary audiences with a formative period in the visual and spatial identity of Wrocław.

From a typographic perspective, the publication reflects the same attention to detail and contextual sensitivity that shaped the architecture it documents. Titles are set in Patyk, a new typeface from Threedotstype, developed with an awareness of historical form and contemporary typographic practice. The body text is composed in RL Sezon, designed by Radek Łukasiewicz, another typeface rooted in Wrocław’s design culture. Together they form a typographic dialogue between local history, editorial design, and contemporary type design.

The book concept was developed by Alicja and Maurycy Prodeus (Fandom Foundation). Illustrations by Katarzyna Szybka. Archival research and text by Iwona Kałuża, while Dawid Błaszczyk was responsible for archival work and graphic design. The extended editorial team includes Paweł Starzec, Iza Wiśniewska, and Maciek Czarnecki.

Last season, Plac Zabaw nad Wisłą, a vibrant riverside cultural and recreational space in Warsaw, Poland, unveiled a refreshed visual identity.

The concept grew from a simple block of colored paper – playful, inclusive, and DIY in spirit. Color pairings distinguish daytime from evening events, while a set of pictograms organizes information for clarity and intuitive navigation. The system now extends across wayfinding, social media, and the website.

Creative direction and design by Kasia Łubińska of kuna works, using Tor grotesk from Threedotstype. On the website, it’s supported by Apfel Grotezk by Luigi Gorlero. The storytelling and microcopy is by Maria Wanda Dutkiewicz. Sesme Studio did the on-site painted elements.

Galeria Magiel is an independent, street art–oriented space that organizes exhibitions, community gatherings, workshops and parties. It is one of those rare places where you can genuinely feel an alternative way of thinking and organising cultural activity.

The book Galeria Magiel 21–25 serves as a summary of five years of consistently stimulating local culture and subculture. From this substantial catalog:

After five years of activity on Wapienna Street, the time has come for a brief summary. What was meant to be a simple zine has ultimately become a full-fledged book. This publication brings together everything that has happened here over the past years – from the days of the old Magiel, through the renovation, to the move to a new location.

Inside the Swiss-bound softcover, you’ll find over 450 photos and graphics across 288 pages in a 19.9×27.3 cm format. The book includes an extensive photo report from 70 exhibitions, sketch sessions, and workshops.

Magiel is also described in texts by artists who exhibited in this basement space, as well as by Iwona Kałuża, Maciej Przestalski, Marian Misiak, Łukasz “Cekas” Berger, Radek Łukaszewicz, and Malwina Nowak.

Concept by Maciej Janus. Editing and proofreading by Barbara Kręgiel. Design by Paweł Mildner.

The publication is part of a project co-funded by the European Union under the NextGenerationEU fund as part of the National Recovery Plan.

Labels for a cider producer in Normandy, France. Fred’s Apples engages in traditional production methods, using a press, with apples picked locally by hand.

What if Duchamp had played Go instead of chess? This speculative idea, developed by Marc Buchy, is the starting point for a project that unfolds across art, fiction, and social space – from an intervention in a Brussels bar (co-produced by Botanique and Komplot, autumn 2024) to this newly published book by Les Éditions Extensibles.

As described by Marc Buchy in Art Même, the work opens a “zone of grey art” – a real bar hosting a fake-yet-real Go club under the imagined memory of the Go player Marcel Duchamp never was. A true space for sociability, play, exchange, and learning – all central themes in Buchy’s practice.

The book measures 21×29.7 cm, spans 144 pages, and was printed in a limited edition of 500 copies. It was designed by Atelier Choque Le Goff, using Tiny, Tor grotesk, and LL Bradford. It’s not clear if the smaller letters made of dots are from a typeface or custom made.

The Complete Johnny Cash is a book written by Mark Stielper. It contains lyrics from all of Johnny Cash’s extensive library of country songs and puts them in a single package.

Council is used not only for the name of the author, but also for Johnny Cash himself. It’s paired with Ringold Clarendon and Sudety.

Source: www.ebay.it Photo: 3roby3 (edited). License: All Rights Reserved.

Clover was an Italian record label active in the late 1970s and early 1980s. For several of their maxi singles, they used a generic “12″ Special Disco” sleeve. The exclusively typographic design features Bronisław Zelek’s New Zelek (Mecanorma, 1974) and Colin Brignall’s Harlow (Letraset, 1977). The Clover logo seen on the label is in James H. Moore’s Moore Liberty (VGC, 1973).

The record included in the bag shown above is “Nowhere to Hide” / “Magic in the Groove” by French disco act Voyage. Label text is set in Simoncini’s Permanent.

The same design was also used by Dutch label CNR, starting in 1978. The only difference is the text “45 toeren” (Dutch for “45 rpm”). Their logo is in Microgramma. CNR also had color variants of the sleeve design.

[More info on Discogs]

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Demon ruchu (“The Motion Demon”, 1919) by Stefan Grabiński is a classic work of Polish horror in which the railway becomes a space filled with metaphysical mysteries. In this collection of stories, trains, stations, and tunnels form a dark universe where the inexplicable constantly breaks through everyday order. The characters, haunted by premonitions and visions, teeter on the brink of madness, and the very act of travel takes on an almost mystical dimension.

The new edition by Dwie siostry was designed by Jacek Ambrożewski, using Tor grotesk for cover, titles, drop caps, and emphasis; and BC Figural for text. It is enriched with evocative illustrations by Rita Kaczmarska and includes additional stories planned for the never-published third edition. The volume appears as the fifth installment of the “Świeżym Okiem” (“Fresh Eye”) series, offering a refreshed, visually striking version of this classic of the uncanny.

336 pages, 14.5 × 21.5 cm

Product May Contain trio presents their long-awaited debut album Playgrounds – a release bursting with creativity, blending jazz, folk, electronic, ambient, and rock influences. Using an unconventional setup of vibraphone, double bass, and percussion, the band creates rich, imaginative arrangements. The record captures a journey of growth, self-discovery, and the pure joy of playing together – a manifesto of youthful curiosity and artistic freedom, accompanied typographically by Tor grotesk Mix.

Band photography by Mateusz Piechuta; graphic design by Jacek Rudzki of Znajomy Grafik.

[More info on Discogs]

The World’s Best Typography, Typography 46 brings together the work of the winners of the latest TDC competition for typographic excellence from around the globe in communication design, lettering, and typeface design. For the past seventy years, the Type Directors Club has encouraged the design community to achieve excellence in typography through annual competitions. This high-quality volume showcases the award-winning selection while redefining the boundaries of visual communication.

Curated by the Type Directors Club, this year’s selection features outstanding projects from 33 countries – including Germany, Japan, Georgia, Israel, New Zealand, Peru, Thailand, Ukraine, the United States, and many more. The result is a compelling display of creativity and global diversity in contemporary typography.

In the Judges’ Choices section, each juror highlights their favorite entry, accompanied by personal commentary and insightful statements from the designers – offering readers a deeper look into the passion and process behind the work.

The Young Ones TDC winners provide an exciting glimpse into the future of typography. With their bold ideas and fresh energy, they inspire and challenge the status quo.

A carefully compiled index of the main typefaces used, complete with the names of their designers—makes this book not only a visual delight but also a valuable reference tool.

The World’s Best Typography, Typography 46 is more than just a design annual. It’s a tribute to the power of type, the craft of design, and the global community that continues to shape and advance both.

The book is published by Slanted Publishers and edited by the Type Directors Club, with Griffin McCabe, Joe Newton, and Carol Wahler serving as editors. The design was developed by Slanted Publishers under the creative direction of Lars Harmsen, Pola Małaczewska, and Marian Misiak. Publishing direction was managed by Lars Harmsen and Julia Kahl, who also oversaw the final artwork. The book was released in October 2025, the book measures 21×28.5 cm, comprises 288 pages, and is published in English. It features a softcover with open thread-stitching and high-quality offset printing. Printing was carried out by NINO Druck in Germany, with bookbinding by Buchbinderei Spinner. The publication uses fine papers by Fedrigoni Paper and features the typefaces Heneczek, Radius, and Extract Semislab, all by Threedotstype. The ISBN is 978-3-948440-98-5, and the retail price in Germany is €69.

This release of "New Look NEIPA" marks something special – a fresh visual identity for Browar Stu Mostów, a Wrocław-based craft brewery whose name means “One Hundred Bridges.” The name isn’t a coincidence. Wrocław is a Polish city literally tied together by over a hundred bridges. Just like its hometown, the brewery connects tradition with innovation, people with craft, and design with flavor. It’s a place where creativity flows as freely as the beer itself, and you can experience it all in their vibrant taproom.

“New Look NEIPA” embodies everything Browar Stu Mostów stands for – bold experimentation, expressive character, and pure enjoyment. Juicy, aromatic, and naturally cloudy, it bursts with notes of white and green fruits from the mix of American Mosaic and New Zealand Motueka hops. A generous Motueka whirlpool addition deepens its tropical intensity and smooth finish.

A new look with a new font: Extract Grotesk, a new chapter – and a beer that perfectly bridges design and taste. Cheers!

Cover of Stella Alcaide’s project for the Master’s in Editorial Design at ESDESIGN

Split-3 is a publication that emerged from a journey to Croatia, where I discovered the modernist neighborhood of Split 3, a residential area built during 1970s Yugoslavia. That visit became a process of observation and documentation: a visual and architectural mapping of a place that fascinated me for its balance between socialist urban utopia and the everyday life that now inhabits it.

The project explores how the forms, volumes, and spaces of that modernist urbanism – originally conceived to promote collectivity – have evolved over time through the personal interventions of its residents. Through photographs, notes, and graphic fragments, the publication seeks to reinterpret the neighborhood as a trace of the architectural idealism of its era, while also revealing it as a living organism in constant transformation.

More than a simple document, Split-3 is a reflection on architecture as a witness to social and cultural change – an attempt to capture the tension between planned order and the spontaneity of real life that continually reshapes it.

Developed within the framework of my Master’s in Editorial Design, Split-3 also reflects my interest in how design can mediate personal experience and spatial memory. I wanted to create a simple yet carefully constructed publication that could convey the essence of a place through rhythm, sequencing, and visual composition rather than excess or ornament. This project became a way of translating one of my travels into a visual narrative, using editorial design as a tool to explore observation, structure, and emotion, bridging the gap between architecture, landscape, and personal perception.

This children’s publication was created as part of the Primo! project by the Krupa Art Foundation. It’s an activity book inspired by works from the KAF collection, encouraging children to explore what collecting means and how diverse it can be. Printed using the Riso technique at the Effemera print studio in Wrocław – each copy is unique!

Published by Krupa Art Foundation in a limited edition of 400 numbered copies, this 14.8×20.8 cm book was conceptualised and written by Magdalena Kreis and designed by Paweł Mildner.

Design for a Changing World is a polyvocal publication focused on design in the Arctic—a region facing both climate crisis and a legacy of colonialism. The book brings together 46 contributors—designers, artists, educators, researchers, and local residents—who collectively explore and reimagine design practices in the North. By weaving together Indigenous knowledge, lived experience, and scientific perspectives, this volume serves both as a record of current practices and an invitation to envision more just, resilient, and context-aware approaches to design in a rapidly changing world.

The book was edited by Bert De Jonghe and Elise Misao Hunchuck and published by Actar in April 2025. The softcover has 464 pages and measures 15×21.5 cm. For the design, Studio Folder combined ABC Gaisyr for text with Tor grotesk for headlines, footnotes, and maps.

The publication Streitsache Straßennamen (“Street names in dispute”) documents the process of renaming streets in Darmstadt between 2013 and 2022. Over the course of 219 pages, it details the debates, decision-making processes, and the work of experts who critically examined the biographies of controversial street namesakes from the National Socialist era. The book also includes content from the exhibition of the same name, shown in 2021 at the Justus-Liebig-Haus, as well as transcripts of lectures presented during a symposium held online on June 1, 2021. Designed by Florian Schimanski, the publication is an important contribution to the ongoing reflection on the city’s history and how it is commemorated today.

The book is set in HAL Timezone, Tor grotesk, and Monotype Grotesque. Produced in collaboration with Büro für Erinnerungskultur and edited by Stadtarchiv Darmstadt, it is printed on Circle Offset and Circle Silk paper. It measures 170×210 mm, and is published in an edition of 1,000 copies.

This unique album was published in a limited run of 500 copies by Layup Galery – the result of a five-year process behind the creation of the Outsiders exhibition, captured in a carefully designed publication. The visual concept was developed by Olek Modzelewski, with editorial work by Cezary Hunkiewicz. The album features photographs of all artworks by invited artists, documentation of the SKM train entering the hall, in-depth interviews, and first-time published materials. Each copy is hand-numbered, making it not only a publication but also a collectible object.

Layup Galery is an exhibition space dedicated to contemporary urban art, located on the post-shipyard grounds of Gdańsk. Established in 2015, it was one of the first alternative cultural institutions to emerge in this post-industrial area. Housed in the giant historic Hall 94b, Layup presents a unique gallery focused on artists rooted in the graffiti scene. The collection includes over 50 works by internationally recognized artists such as Moses & Taps™, Rage, Sabe, Rocco and His Brothers, Sebas Velasco, Sainer, Martí Sawe, Karso, Finer, M-City, Krik, and Sicoer, as well as a fully preserved 24-ton EN71 048 SKM train car.

The book interior (336 pages + a 24-page insert printed with silver spot color) was printed on Arctic Volume White 115 g/m² and Munken Print White 115 g/m² by Arctic Paper. The Swiss-bound hardcover was wrapped in Natural Art Silk Eggshell White paper, with blind embossing on the front and spine.

Logo and brand development for Schöne Felder e.V., an association for urban and contemporary art.

On 2,000 square meters, their Haus Schöne Felder in the center of Augsburg, Germany, houses open studios, ateliers, workshops and a shop, providing space for over 35 creative professionals.

The identity was designed by Mara Weyel of MMW Studios – who’s a tenant herself – using Honza Zamojski’s Rubin Sans (Threedotstype) as the main typeface. It’s supported by Matteo Maggi’s Halibut (Collletttivo) and another, yet unidentified serif.

Datura is a micro-roastery offering an exclusive selection of high-end coffees, with a particular focus on pure, aromatic profiles that highlight the nuances of different varieties and terroirs.

Brand Brothers crafted an original typogram for Datura: a tailor-made wordmark paired with a distinctive typeface by Threedotstype: Tor grotesk. It was implemented throughout the branding, adding coherence and contemporary character to the visual identity. In addition to Tor Grotesk, the website uses Arimo for running text, information and navigation.

Front of the album cover

OSiR is a trio of friends from Warsaw who grew up on Polish rap and British electronic music. Dygnitarz 808 and breakjanek are part of the 666VOLVO collective, while Frano Dead was one half of the duo Frano Bebun.

Tired of shallow lyrics and repetitive beats, they decided to create an album filled with bitter reflections and analog synthesizers. The album features 14 tracks, with guest appearances from DJ Cutahead, Stopatentów, Bebun, and Jakub Jan Bryndal.

The graphic design of OSiR’s self-titled album visually reflects the so-called “spirit” of the record and its lyrics. The overall aesthetic draws inspiration from the late communist era in Poland (late PRL) and the early 2000s, in line with the album’s name and its full meaning.

The concept was driven by research into the typography of that period and the deliberate use of a “dirty” or “lo-fi” visual layer to give the cover a sense of authenticity.

The author – Marcel Kaczmarek, began his research by looking for real-life examples of sports center signage, often visually awkward. He found a fittingly ironic case in Grodzisk Mazowiecki, where the name was clumsily set in a 1974 typeface – New Zelek by renowned Polish designer Bronisław Zelek. It perfectly captured the sharp, gritty aesthetic he was after.

New Zelek has been digitized and extended in 2013 by Polish type design studio Threedotstype. Marcel used this typeface for the album title on the cover and LL Unica77 by Lineto for the tracklist and small text.

[More info on Discogs]

Design of the album booklet

Back of the album cover featuring the tracklist

Possible vinyl cover (unrealized)

Possible vinyl cover (unrealized)