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Karen Horton’s inspiration

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Project Vitra.
| October 05, 2008


While I was in Helsinki, I bought the book Project Vitra. Sites, Products, Authors, Museum, Collections, Signs; Chronology, Glossary. at artek. As the subtitle suggests, the book is divided into distinct sections, each providing visually appealing content or indispensable information. The book was published by Birkhäuser Verlag AG and edited by Cornel Windlin and Rolf Fehlbaum (Vitra's Chairman).



The cover has subtle text embossed on the cover (subtitle, page count, ISBN, names of editors, page count...) It also includes the following text in the lower right-hand corner: "This is the first comprehensive, illustrated volume about Vitra's pioneering work with designers and architects around the globe. It traces the company's evolution, from its early collaboration with George Nelson and Charles & Ray Eames in the 1950s right through the latest extension of the Vitra Campus in Weil am Rhein by Herzog & de Meuron and SANAA." I couldn't list off all of the great designers and architects included in this book. But here are just a few: Charles & Ray Eames, Herman Miller, George Nelson, Alexander GirardTibor Kalman, Frank Gehry, Tadao AndoHella JongeriusJean ProuvéEttore Sottsass...

I find the photo editing to be exquisite in this book (probably with much thanks to the book's archival research and photo editor Rebecca Stephany). But it makes me want to see more from the Vitra archives, and the outside design influences for all of Vitra's products. Project Vitra's rich history is evident while flipping through the pages of this beautiful book. It all started in Basel and Weil am Rhein in 1957.



SITES: Vitra Center, Birsfelden (photographs in this spread by Olivo Barbieri)



PRODUCTS: Charles & Ray Eames Collection (all the spreads in the "Products" section were photographed by Maurice Scheltens and Liesbeth Abbenes)



AUTHORS (designers and architects): George Nelson



AUTHORS (designers and architects): Frank Gehry



COLLECTIONS: Pull-out spread for the Rietveld/Bauhaus Group ( Gerrit RietveldMarcel BreuerLudwig Mies van der RoheLe Corbusier...)



COLLECTIONS: Pull-out spread for the Charles & Ray Eames Group 



The end papers for the back shows a map diagram with the title "The World  according to Vitra: Network and Relations"



It's lo-quality, but here a promotional video flipping through the book:



. 



Design, layout, and production for the book was done by: Cornel Windlin, Rebecca Stephany, and Marco Müller


Link:  Project Vitra. book

Tags:  book design, eames, furniture design, vitra

Topic: Furniture Design

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