Manchester University. Publication Design

Working in collaboration with Manchester Metropolitan University, we were tasked with producing the new Asia Triennial Manchester retrospective publication, Triennial City: Localising Asian Art.

The Brief:

• To produce a publication that would work on both an academic and artistic basis
• Inform, educate and present the content in a clear and concise manner while maintaining visual curiosity.

Our first step was to consider what this new collection of writing represented. Previously Reform had produced an eye-catching coffee table book, featuring a versatile grid system and expressive typography. Triennial City, a collection of writing, presented as an academic reference is a critical analysis of the previous eight years and required a different approach.

Using a limited grid structure, clear and legible typography and a simple dividing structure, we designed this publication to work on the reference shelves of a library and also in the art section of a bookshop.

The book was designed as an academic piece for Cornerhouse publications, however that didn’t limit the visual aesthetic. We utilised the stunning photography to it’s full potential, creating a visual feast that has the power to inform and delight. Never is the publication boring, nor does the creative flare overpower the information on the page.