A is van Os Livro by Autobahn is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2021 A' Design Award de Prata in Design de Média Impressa e Publicada Competition Category.

PrataImpressão· 2021

A is van Os Livro

by Autobahn

Client: Autobahn

A' Design Award de Prata Winner in Impressão Category

32,878

Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #116728

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Colors

The Design

About A is van Os Livro

A is van Os é um livro sobre a história do alfabeto latino. A obra mostra o desenvolvimento de cada letra ao longo de quatro períodos da história. As mudanças são desenhadas com linhas nítidas e cores vivas, de modo que cada transformação seja fácil de acompanhar. Todas as formas de letra originais foram esculpidas à mão em pedra e fotografadas, como referência às primeiras letras talhadas na rocha. A capa dura apresenta uma imagem de pedra acabada com um revestimento de cascalho, que torna a superfície tátil. O livro mede 240 por 240 milímetros.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award de Prata

A is van Os Livro conquistou o A' Design Award de Prata, um reconhecimento extraordinariamente prestigiado atribuído a designs de topo de gama, deslumbrantes e impressionantes. Os vencedores da Prata são obras tremendamente brilhantes e extremamente criativas que ilustram a perícia, o talento e a acuidade excecionais dos seus designers. Espera-se que A is van Os Livro seja uma obra maravilhosa e de referência, notavelmente profissional e profundamente inovadora. Este design vencedor do A' Design Award de Prata é uma invenção muito notável e admirada, que beneficia e faz avançar as fronteiras da arte, da ciência, do design e da tecnologia. A is van Os Livro é uma criação imensamente invejada que desperta desejos, traz sentimentos positivos e faz nascer espanto e deslumbramento.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: A is van Os shows the development of each letter in four time periods in history. The changes are visualised in bright colours so they are easy to follow. Since the first letters were cut in stone, Autobahn hand carved all original letterforms in stone as a visual reference. The stone on the cover of the book is finished with a gravel coating so it becomes tactile. Besides the book Autobahn designed 3 typefaces which are free for download and can be used to send secret messages to friends in earlier forms of the alphabet.
Dimensions & Packaging: Width 240 mm x Depth 240 mm Height 10 mm
Tags: Autobahn, Typography, Design, Graphic, Alphabet, Writing, Dutch, History, Book, Children
Production Technology: Print: PMS 805, Reflex Blue
Paper: Arctic Volume 115gr
Hard cover: Cardboard wrapped in Wibalin Soft 300gr
Varnish: Spot-UV gravel coating on cover
Stones: Hand-cut and photographed
Design Challenge: To show this transition of the alphabet, Autobahn visualised the transformation for each letter with clear lines and color differences. Through this method, readers can easily follow the transformations, see how the letter developed and still see where it originated from. This aspect makes the book unique in its sort.
Research: Our alphabet has changed considerably over time. In short, it began 4,000 years ago with images carved into rock in the Sinai desert. This script (called Proto-Sinaitic) was adopted and modified by the neighboring Phoenicians (around 1500 BC). The Phoenicians were seafaring folk and granted the alphabet to the Greeks (around 800 BC); which made trading far easier. The Greeks slightly adapted the letter forms before handing them on to the Romans, who completed the alphabet. And it's this alphabet that we, in the Western world, still use today.
Inspiration: The initiative originated from the work ethos of Autobahn: text is image. Designer Rob Stolte was fascinated by the way his son was learning to write and would get him to copy the alphabet. A four year old's spatial insight is far from developed. They tend to write in different sizes, mirrored and upside down. It was during this process that Stolte recognised a number of alphabetical primordial forms. From there, he decided to design a series of objects explaining the history of our alphabet.
Project Duration: The project started in 2016 and was published in 2018 in Dutch. It was exhibited at the 65th Type Directors Club New York in 12 countries, received a Golden European Design Award and was nominated for a D&AD award and a Dutch Creativity award. The book is translated into French in 2020 and in English in 2021 (Q4).
Operation Flow: Text and image are insightful, worth knowing and in an appealing, hyper-hip style for kids; bright blue and almost fluorescent orange-red.
Design, drawings and text are coherent and consistent, this entire book exudes the basic principle of the often awarded Autobahn: text is image. A wonderful book for all children and others who love letters, history and design.
Team Members: Concept, design text and illustrations: Autobahn
Text: Bette Westera
Research and advice: Ben Haring
Advice and production: Drukkerij Wilco
Redaction, publishing and distribution: Uitgeverij Gottmer
Animation: Jochem Koopman
Documentary: Niels Mud
Product photography: Justina Nekrašaitė / De Monsterkamer