In August 1942, the Second World War was in full swing and Wehrmacht troops were approaching Stalingrad. At home in the German Empire – in Nuremberg, the city that previously hosted the Nazi Party rallies – the population was offered distraction and entertainment in the form of “true-to-nature geography and ethnology”.

Each week, the Kaiser-Panorama (est. 1888) in the Mauthalle presented a different virtual journey. This time, visitors could view stereoscopic glass slides depicting fifty three-dimensional scenes from the Republic of Peru in South America, from the Pichu-Puchu [sic!] to a herd of llamas. Students and DAF members paid a reduced entry fee; soldiers, children, seniors and disabled persons even less.

The typography of the leaflet combines blackletter and non-blackletter typefaces. There are two sans serifs, the bold rounded Block and the wide Industria, both from before the First World War. The price information at the bottom is set in an Art Nouveau roman that’s even older, Schelter-Antiqua halbfett from 1906. The two blackletter typefaces are the youngest designs: the dates are shown in Straßburg, released in 1926, and the list of scenes in Thannhaeuser-Fraktur, first cast in 1938.

Antarctic Resolution is a 1,000 page study of Antarctica’s architectural, historical, ecological and climatic peculiarities. The book is the basis of an installation of the same name at the 17th Venice Biennale of Architecture which is shown in this video, explained by the book’s author/editor and the exhibiton’s curator, architect Giulia Foscari.

According to Lars Müller Publishers’ release notes:

Accounting for approximately 10 % of the land mass of Planet Earth, the Antarctic is a Global Commons we collectively neglect. Far from being a pristine natural landscape, the continent is a contested territory which conceals resources that might prove irresistible in a world with an ever-increasing population. The 26 quadrillion tons of ice accumulated on its bedrock, equivalent to around 70 % of the fresh water on our planet, represent the most significant repository of scientific data available. It provides crucial information for future environmental policies, and, at the same time, is the greatest possible menace to global coastal settlements when sea levels rise because of global warming.

On the 200th anniversary of the discovery of Antarctica, Antarctic Resolution offers a high-resolution image of this hyper-surveilled yet neglected continent. In contrast to the fragmented view offered by Big Data companies, the book is a holistic study of the continent’s unique geography, unparalleled scientific potential, contemporary geopolitical significance, experimental governance system, and extreme inhabitation model. A transnational network of multidisciplinary polar experts – represented in the form of authored texts, photographic essays, and data-based visual portfolios – reveals the intricate web of growing economic and strategic interests, tensions, and international rivalries, which are normally enveloped in darkness, as is the continent for six months of the year.

The book was designed by Giulia Foscari/UNLESS with Integral Lars Müller using Everett by Nolan Paparelli and Hariett by Jackson Cavanaugh.

Editorial assistant: Federica Zambeletti
Printing: Grafiche Antiga, Italy
20×26.4 cm, 1,000 pages
ISBN 978-3-03778-640-6

“Antarctic Resolution” exhibition view at the 17th Venice Biennale of Architecture in 2021.

Like so many things in Mexico City, street names embrace the surreal over the logical. You can ride the metro from Cuatro Caminos to Tasqueña without noticing you’ve crossed over oceans, deities, poets, and continents—but, if you learn to pay attention, the entire city becomes a tarot card reading full of symbols and coincidences.

Throughout 2022, I catalogued the themes of the street names in each neighborhood of Mexico City. The investigation found more than 150 themes, including sea animals, operas, poets, African countries, moons of Saturn, geology, Greek mythology, and characters from the Iliad.

In his book Circuito Interior, Francisco Goldman writes of colonia Trabajadores de Hierro (“Iron Workers neighborhood”):

What’s it like to be a child, trying to incorporate the fact that you live on Calle Metalúrgicos (Metallurgists Street) into your sense of the world’s hidden meanings and magic and of your place at the very center of it all? That your street, your colonia, is a magnet, pulling the entire universe down towards you?

As part of my research, I also interviewed people who had grown up or spent time in these neighborhoods. Their stories added lived experience to my investigation. What was it like to grow up in colonia Media Luna (Half Moon neighborhood), where the streets are named for the solar system? One respondent spent their childhood visiting friends on other planets, while their crush lived on Calle Marte (Mars Street) — always just out of reach.

Inspired by classic map typography, the index features Antique Olive Nord, Futura and Futura Condensed, as well as hand lettering. The title uses a hand-drawn version of Antique Olive Nord and Futura. Cooper Black is used for the letters and numbers of the map grid (A1, B3, etc.) both in the index and along the sides of the map.

The map was printed as a six-color screenprint, and distributed by Mixed Media Press in Mexico City.

Each neighborhood in Mexico City has its own theme for the names of its streets. Sea animals, professions, wonders of the world, and operas are just a few.

Source: www.abebooks.com Rare Book Cellar. License: All Rights Reserved.

ITC Ronda Light (1970) featuring a t with (custom?) extra-long tail, the forward-leaning s/S, and round alternates for A, N, and w.

In Naturalist in the Sudan, British entomologist Charles Sweeney (1922–1979) explores the geography and wildlife of the region Darfur and Bahr el Ghazal. Originally published in Great Britain in 1973 as Background of Baobabs, this is the frst US edition by Taplinger from 1974.

Source: www.abebooks.com Rare Book Cellar. License: All Rights Reserved.

Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris is a major higher education and research establishment and a component of the Université Paris Cité. A world-renowned geosciences research organisation, the “IPGP” studies the Earth and planets from the core to the most superficial fluid layers. It brings together around 500 people: researchers recruited from all over the world, engineers, technicians, administrative staff, post-doctoral and doctoral students from all countries who share the same passion for the Earth, planetary and environmental sciences.

For the 100th anniversary of its creation, IPGP wanted to redesign its logo and more generally its visual identity. The previous logo was 30 years old and the objective was to make it more legible, more visible and timeless to gain credibility.

Graphéine worked with IPGP in the creation of its new visual identity and the implementation of its graphic guidelines. The new logotype modernizes the previous identity by giving it more impact and flexibility, while respecting the DNA that has built its reputation. This work of coherence has been pushed to the point of harmonising the logos of its volcanological and seismological observatories.

In addition to a new logotype, the IPGP's visual identity has a brand new universe. This is embodied by graphic codes combining chromatic ranges and typographic styles designed to create unique information environments that signal, communicate boldly and energetically IPGP.

Garnett becomes the primary typeface of the IPGP graphic guidelines. It is a robust contemporary grotesk designed by Connor Davenport and distributed by Sharp Type. It has the affable personality of 19th century metal type. Garnett’s role is to draw attention to the most important messages communicated by IPGP and it is therefore used carefully and sparingly for headlines and short texts. The type family chosen for text is Suisse Int’l, a simple and effective sans serif from Swiss Typefaces, designed by Ian Party.

With this new visual identity, the IPGP is now more visible and more timeless; it gains credibility. From now on, its visual identity associated with that of its peers truly reflects the innovative character of the institution. Its communication deploys a flexible and recognizable graphic language for a better identification on the international scene.

Find more images and information on the Graphéine website.

The Covid-19 crisis, climate change, the rise of China, the return of America with Biden... Every day, the news of the world proves to us that what happens outside our borders is not foreign to us. But how can we find our way through this flow of information without feeling disarmed?

Conceived as a family reference, this book, published by Eyrolles and entirely designed and illustrated by us, is an educational and entertaining introduction to geopolitics and international relations. Enriched with evocative illustrations, archive photos and detailed maps, it offers an entertaining and original approach to current events.

Based on a dynamic layout, each chapter is well structured and will allow you to inform yourself according to your level of knowledge and curiosity: a quick overview will allow you to get to the essentials, zooms will help you to integrate the key notions and in-depth discussions will invite you to go further.

As for the typefaces used, we have Knockout (Jonathan Hoefler, Hoefler & Co.) for headlines, Roquefort (Lewis MacDonald, Polytype) for focus, Piazzolla (Juan Pablo del Peral, Huerta Tipográfica) for body copy and Chromatica (also by Lewis MacDonald, Polytype) to accompany the detailed maps.

Table of contents.

Captions, set in Roquefort.

Map details and description with a combination of Chromatica and Roquefort.

Knockout HTF69 Full Lite in use on a chapter opening.

Foreste, prevenzione dagli incendi e sicurezza ambientale (“Forests, fire prevention and environmental safety”) is a book edited by Francesco Colosimo, Roberta Maletta, Giuseppe Mendicino, and Salvatore Siviglia, developed in the working group of CeSMMA, Centro Studi per il Monitoraggio e la Modellazione Ambientale, at the Università della Calabria. It was designed by Antonio Iaconesso at Fullfox Studio, combining Geomanist and Minion, and published by Rubbettino Editore.

The forest heritage of the Calabria region assumes a role of significant public and private interest. It represents about 41% of the regional territory and gives it an identity expressed in terms of economic capital and historical, biological and cultural heritage. Woods and their management also have a strategic role in the fight against climate change, in landscape and biodiversity protection activities, as well as in the prevention of hydrogeological problems and water regulation.

Flowers is a personal publication exploring the act of photographing flowers as a measurement of time. The book is sectioned into regions of Europe. Colourful flowers flood the pages, broken up by an essay that runs throughout the book, delving deeper into the themes. It's a self-initiated project, made just as a marker of leaving Europe for Australia, where the seasons are topsy turvy and the flowers entirely new.

Voyage by VJ-Type is used throughout. The title uses Voyage’s discretionary we ligature, plus a custom-made one for rs.

A–Z: Coast to Coast Shore to Shore is a book designed by Johan Elmehag as his thesis project at Malmö University.

The project aims at finding innovative ways to present the geographical impact of climate change. The idea was born out of the sense that climate change is somewhat abstract and difficult to address, both emotionally and informationally. The core of the project is a typeface based on future vulnerable coastal areas, the letters are shaped after the way the world would look like if all the world’s ice melted. The font is presented in an ABC book where each letter represents a specific area and a unique future. The letters organize the information and creates a natural way of presenting it. The project is also available in the form of a web page and a big world map.

The typeface is named Coastline and can be obtained for free. The text in the book is set in Minion. The accompanying poster uses Suisse Int’l.

Presented at the Louvre Abu Dhabi in spring 2018, Le Monde en Sphères (Globes. Visions of the World) was an exhibition designed by BnF (Bibliothèque nationale de France) presenting almost 200 impressive works, objects of art and knowledge, from the collections of the BnF and from private collections, which embody on spherical vision of the world: terrestrial and celestial globes, armillary spheres, astrolabes and manuscripts.

For the exhibition Michelines Studio designed a catalogue that explores the history of the spherical representation of the world from antiquity to contemporary times showing terrestrial and celestial globes, armillary spheres, astrolabes and manuscripts.

The catalogue uses Pathos from R-typography paired with Prensa by Occupant Fonts. The cover typeface appears to be Linotype’s Neuzeit S or similar.

Maize is a quarterly magazine published by H-FARM that “explores the complexities of innovation and the shifting dichotomy between technology and evolution through the lens of philosophy, arts, and humanities.” The Summer 2019 issue, headlined “Anthropocene, now what?” focuses on different ways that humans and our technology are addressing global issues such as climate change and the possibility of the end of the world.

Art director Davide Mottes says that the design team searched for two type families to represented the two cornerstones of the issue: one more “humanistic” and the other more “technological.” After trying various combinations, they found Roslindale and Styrene to be the perfect match. They also introduced the super-condensed Coign, which is used to great effect (often very large) in striking headlines and memorable spreads throughout the issue.

I think I am most impressed by the sheer variety that the team of designers achieved with this relatively concise type palette. Each of the three typefaces takes a turn as a headline face, and the vastly different sizes and treatments makes every article feel distinct and fresh. At the same time, the typefaces form part of the glue that holds all of these varied designs together.

Judith Schalansky’s self-initiated Atlas der abgelegenen Inseln was published to great acclaim by German publisher mareverlag in 2009. That same year, it was featured in the selection of The Most Beautiful German Books competition. In 2010, the book was picked up by Particular Books (an imprint of the Penguin Group) and gained a huge following the world over amongst map lovers, geography buffs and graphic designers alike.

Schalansky designed the book herself using Alan Dague-Greene’s exquisite MVB Sirenne, whose origin in 18th-century copper-engraved map lettering makes it a very astute choice for such a project.

Detail photo by John Self of Asylum. Note use of optical sizes and various numeral styles (lining and oldstyle, tabular and proportional).

Detail photo by John Self of Asylum.

Playing with Earth and Sky: Astronomy, Geography, and the Art of Marcel Duchamp by James Housefield. Published by Dartmouth College Press.

The starry title on the cover is set in Sélavy, “a dotted display typeface loosely based on the punched-out caps on Marcel Duchamp’s 1934 ‘Green Box’”, created by Nina Stössinger and freely available from Type Brut. Sélavy is also used for drop caps and chapter numbers in the interior, and echoed in the dotted lines. The text typeface is Fred Smeijers’ Fresco, with its sans-serif companion Fresco Sans used for subheadings, running heads, and captions.

University Press of New England (UPNE):

Playing with Earth and Sky reveals the significance astronomy, geography, and aviation had for Marcel Duchamp—widely regarded as the most influential artist of the past fifty years. Duchamp transformed modern art by abandoning unique art objects in favor of experiences that could be both embodied and cerebral. This illuminating study offers new interpretations of Duchamp’s momentous works, from readymades to the early performance art of shaving a comet in his hair. It demonstrates how the immersive spaces and narrative environments of popular science, from museums to the modern planetarium, prepared paths for Duchamp’s nonretinal art. By situating Duchamp’s career within the transatlantic cultural contexts of Dadaism and Surrealism, this book enriches contemporary debates about the historical relationship between art and science.

via Connor Davenport

Following the lead of the website that came before, Janet Vicario used Platform for the printed version of Atlas Obscura, with the slightly modified logo for the title.

Why do you think as you think?
Why do you act like you do?
What is revolution today?
Who would be revolutionary?
Are you a witch? Are you a wizard?

This book presents such questions and the answers Jailson de Souza e Silva, and a team of 14 narrators and storytellers give them, women and men accused as heretics or involvement with witchcraft acts during the ancient and contemporary history of Brazil. Subjects of their lives, they value subjectivity in their daily movements, with their attitudes _ are played on a daily basis. The topics discussed help contextualize key moments, challenges and transformations in life, even if you have not awakened to witchcraft and its place in the contemporary revolution.