Discovering Vienna Historical Coffee Table Book by Christina Ullman is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2024 Bronze A' Design Award in Print and Published Media Design Competition Category.
BronzePrint· 2024
Discovering Vienna Historical Coffee Table Book
Client: Ullman Design
Bronze A' Design Award Winner in Print Category
Verified Award Winner
Verify Award Status for #152755The Design
About Discovering Vienna Historical Coffee Table Book
Tales of exploration, discovery, conflict, and the trials of an enduring pioneer spirit fill the narrative of the visual history book, the first documentation of the heritage of the two primary families who settled in and founded the City of Vienna in West Virginia in the late 1700s. From Viking warriors and the English monarchy to the American gentry and colonial generals, the publication features archival documents, maps, as well as other artifacts that provide insight on the history and ancestry of the families, providing context in light of world events.
The Recognition
About the Bronze A' Design Award
Discovering Vienna Historical Coffee Table Book is a Bronze A' Design Award winner, a highly prestigious recognition granted to outstanding designs distinguished by creativity, ingenuity, and astuteness. Bronze winners are amply skillful and strikingly creative artifacts that authenticate the vast experience, imagination, and resourcefulness of their designers. Discovering Vienna Historical Coffee Table Book is expected to be a highly regarded, admired, and cherished object that is notably professional and innovative. This Bronze A' Design Award-winning design incorporates best practices in art, science, design, and technology, and is excellent for its attention to detail. Discovering Vienna Historical Coffee Table Book splendidly satisfies needs, touches desires, charms feelings, and appeals to curiosity.
Interviews
Design Interview
What is the main principle, idea and inspiration behind your design?
This book is a visual coffee table book with a focus on the City of Vienna’s history. The body text was minimal to allow the visuals and accompanying captions to have greater impact.
What has been your main focus in designing this work? Especially what did you want to achieve?
This unique book provides a visual history of the two primary families who settled in and ultimately founded the City of Vienna in West Virginia in the late 1700s. The book is filled with historical documents, maps, and other artifacts that provide context to the actions of both families in light of events in the American colonies and Europe at this time. The ancestry of both families is also documented, tracing their roots back to the English monarchy and Viking warriors.
What are your future plans for this award winning design?
The book is part of a larger campaign called Trek Vienna, which includes large format exhibition panels with information about the history and heritage of the City of Vienna. Given the amount of research that I uncovered for this book, I may write and design a second volume.
Behind the Design
Press Kit
Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.
- Unique Properties
- This unique book provides a visual history of the two primary families who settled in and ultimately founded the City of Vienna in West Virginia in the late 1700s. The book is filled with historical documents, maps, and other artifacts that provide context to the actions of both families in light of events in the American colonies and Europe at this time. The ancestry of both families is also documented, tracing their roots back to the English monarchy and Viking warriors.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- 10"x10" Hardcover Book
- Tags
- historical book, visual history, Vienna, Briscoe, Spencer, colonists, American colony, Virginia, West Virginia
- Production Technology
- This project is unique because Christina Ullman completed the research for the book, wrote the content and produced the design.
- Design Challenge
- Locating historical documents and validating the accuracy of events was a challenge since many of the materials were located in historical society and library archives around the world. Other books provided some assistance with events and facts, but primary sources were key.
- Research
- This book is the first of its kind on the topic of the history and heritage of the founders of the City of Vienna. While other books have described early life in the area, none have traced the ancestry nor documented the early lives of its founders: Dr. John Briscoe IV and Dr. Joseph Spencer, Jr.
- Inspiration
- The design of the book was inspired by vintage typography in the late 1800s combined with decorative lines and border frames implemented in historical and photography books and vintage maps from the early 1700s. The body text was minimal to allow the visuals and accompanying captions to have greater impact. The research was very difficult for this book since many of its resources were discovered in various libraries and archives around the world.
- Project Duration
- Project started in June 2022 and was published in May 2023
- Operation Flow
- The client provided feedback on the content outline for the publication. The author and designer had full authority over the content, art direction and design of the book.
- Patents
- Christina Ullman, Ullman Design, 2023
- Team Members
- Christina Ullman, Author and Designer
- Image Credits
- All images copyright Christina Ullman, Ullman Design, 2023
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