Paula Scher has created a striking design for a book that looks at ethical, sustainable and human-centred design.
For more than 30 years, writer and educator Susan S. Szenasy has guided and influenced generations of designers, architects, builders, manufacturers, journalists, educators and students through her writings. Her essays, editorials, reviews, lectures, presentations and even tweets have now been published for the first time in a book titled Szenasy, Design Advocate.
For the publication’s design Scher worked closely with Szenasy to blend Eastern European graphics that reflect Szenasy’s Hungarian heritage with the radical perspective of her writing.
The cover features a striking photograph of a young Szenasy in grade six, taken a few months before that Hungarian revolution.
I selected the portrait for the cover because the image perfectly captures the passion and determination Szenasy would later bring to her writing and advocacy, says Scher.
The book is designed in a simple combination of black, white and red with two colour sections of personal photographs and landmark works. Set in Futura, the book’s text is clear and simple to read, while typography is kept tight.
Considering the work Szenasy does it was especially important that the book be environmentally friendly and sustainable. Szenasy, Design Advocate is printed on 100% post-consumer waste fibre and trimmed to a size that minimises waste and paper usage.
