Die Schönsten Deutschen Bücher [The Best German Book Design]

The catalog design for the Most Beautiful German Books is dedicated to the theme of archives. Together with artist Ann-Kathrin Müller, we have archived the 25 most beautiful German books in a 430-page publication that is part yearbook, part commemorative publication for Stiftung Buchkunst.

The yearbooks introduction and the and awarded titles are split by a 32-page photo essay that Ann-Kathrin Müller and studio partner Sven Tillack created in a joint effort. The images present a visual exploration of places and scenes within the German National Libraries in Frankfurt and Leipzig—places where books are viewed, consulted, consumed, and archived and embeds itself into the theme of “archives”, that serves as the visual framework of the yearbook.

The twenty-five awarded books are split into five categories. Every book is displayed in twelve pages: A picture of the books’ cover, as well as the books specifications and the jury evaluation in German and English. Throughout the book, all English texts are printed in Pantone Cool Gray 5. Each was approached differently to create an image sequence that resembles the books’ features like as if you approached the book yourself. Reference markers were added to texts and images to link texts and images.

Different scaling helps to see different details in the awarded books, because often times the shown publications are bigger than the book present. The hand becomes a brilliant reference object, varying in size.

The book ends with the jury CVs, as well as the index: All used materials for the creation of the awarded books as well as all present people such as designers, photographers, project managers, authors, it’s materials, such as paper and binding supplies and well as companies, such as printing houses and publishers that make this valuable selection possible.

Client:

Stiftug Buchkunst

Partners:

Ann-Kathrin Müller, Sven Tillack, Steffen Knöll

ISBN:

978-3-98221084-1

Studio Tillack Knöll is a multicreative design practice that concerns itself with the visual and spatial aspects of communication. We design exhibitions, wayfinding systems, books, visual identities and digital experiences for a variety of clients involved in architecture, art, science and commerce to cultural institutions and NGOs.