ok... so we've spent about a year working on Design Like You Give A Damn and now it's time to give it a face. Our designers, Pure+Applied (who rock!), came up with four concepts for the cover. Seeing as we believe in an open collaborative design process we might as well walk the walk...
So Archinecters far and wide, come one, come all - vote on our damn cover and we will select the winning entry to be on the book shelves in the spring...
The last one, with the yellow letters on the black cover. Much more striking graphically than the others.
And...I hate how close-minded this sounds but I think the other covers' photographs might make some people say "oh, it's a book about third world vernacular - not interested..." without giving it a chance.
the last one looks like a phone book.
two and three are too bizzee.
i like the first one minus the dots and move the title strip down to where it is the same distance from the bottom as it is now from the top. make the sky bluer. and you got yerself a wiener.
also think about it when it's in the stores -- this is just the cover jacket mind (which we are thinking of turning into a poster with a timeline of projects on the back)
the third one was designed that if you flip one book over it reads
[Design Like You] [Give A Damn] on the same axis.. and on the back are two night shots.
looks like the book has a square format. like art forum, which couldn't be copied on the copy machine (consider the poor people who cannot afford the price). i don't know the content. is the book a manual for design, case studies, statistics? visually as stated above, the bottom right one is most attention grabbing and has a text book quality. it also created, for me, this memory connection of, '...... for dummies' look (which i think brilliant series and by no means i mentioned in disrespect to AFH and the series itself), maybe it is the color association.
having said above, given the choices, i go for the yellow as well.
i will consider of buying one for multiple reasons. congratulations to AFH.
very thoughtful. AFH is saving lives.
my two distant relatives, my father side cousin's grandfather and grandfather died in marmara earthquake in their one story masonary house. two 80+ years old couple found under the rubble still holding eachother's hands. saving one life is priceless, but bringing out manuals to save communities is sainthood material.
quondam,
The reason for print is two-fold. There is never a voice for this sort of work. It is always relegated and not presented as 'real architecture' - by putting it in print it becomes a record.
Secondly, and somewhat selfishly, proceeds of the book will go towards funding projects like the free earthquake resistant housing manuals that will be distributed in Kashmir and supporting 'design fellows' to work on housing in gulf coast.
Cameron, the first reason is rather bogus, too much "giving a damn" about other's false perceptions of what is "real." Isn't the real design to make the information as accessible as possible? And it sounds like the manuals for Kashmir and the Gulf Coast could/should already be online without waiting for the "procedes."
the yellow text on black background is too abstract for me. i prefer the second one with some pictures of people on the cover. it is architecture for humanity isn't it?
maybe something more like the bold yellow letters over top of an image with people would be better compromise between the humanity at stake and the need for a strong statement like "design like you give a damn"
It's the stirling prize winner vs. general public all over again!
Dec 2, 05 1:52 pm ·
·
Cameron, I certainly do not mean to grill you and AFH. I respect and admire your efforts and executions, but the AFH website could be a whole lot more.
It is the perception that "if it's not in print then it isn't real" that deserves the grilling. It's just another injustice, and architectural education has done nothing to correct this false perception, rather more just feed it. HTML is so easy and web publishing is so cheap that it is now extremely efficient thus requiring minimal sustainability. I know it's limited (in its contribution), but that's the kind of design I give a damn about.
just a thought...if this book is being distributed to places where english is not the spoken language, wont it help if the cover had the name of the book in most of the languages where the book will be distributed? Im sure someone already thought about this...but i had to voice my concern
'damn' might be a bit difficult to translate, that being idioatic. in which case, being very lingo-culturally specific, the message title already precludes the rest of humanity with regard to readership. and in more conservative societies where religiousity is rife, 'damn' might be taken as a blasphemous affront on the part of the western heathen authors.
also, i like the expected ethnic otherness of the cover. its soo good hearted of you to surrender to cliches (am not saying cliches are bad, mind you)
of the ones posted, the last one. However, I remember really liking the one you posted in the xmas wish thread. it was similar to the last one but with different colors.
why does the book have to be square? square books are hard to read...the archeworks books are square, they don't work that well. I have a tado ando book that's square, same problem, doesn't read well.
quondam -- I respect and admire your efforts and executions, but the AFH website could be a whole lot more.
---
yeah, if we had funding we would. I usually update the site around 3-4am. Given the time constraints of only having 3 fulltime staff we focus on projects in the field than the site (though the site does need help).
I here what your saying about putting a years worth of research, writing, etc. up on line but right now we don't have the capacity or the funds to do that. Wait until March and you'll see a radical upgrading of AFHs' stuff.
I tried to vote "none of the above" but the poll is not working for some reason.
This volume deserves a cover that looks like it was designed by someone who gives a damn about graphic design!
As for quondam's issues -
No, not EVERYONE has access to internet, the ability to sit at the computer for as many hours as it takes to read a book, or the ability to print therefrom, especially at a high enough quality where photogrpahs are important to the message of the work. It's still valuable to have printed matter, it is easier on the human eye to read on a page than on a screen, and people still use public libraries and trade/pass these things around. This is a subject matter that is WORTH printing and investing in. And, there's certainly a lot of information about many of these projects online anyway, although they may be best explicated and organized in this volume.
As for the AFH website - there is SO MUCH INFORMATION on there, the organization of which will require a lot of involvement from AFH to get right - difficult when there are the matters of grantwriting, public presentations, and other more immediate organizing efforts to do. It's not like some designer can jump in and donate the time to put together a template and switch it all around real fast. If it were only a matter of interface design it would be much more simple.
Dec 2, 05 4:27 pm ·
·
Then at least compose a webpage that links to all the places online were many of the projects already are. That is WORTH doing too!
I am not suggesting a redesign of the AFH website, rather using as a true publishing entity.
I like the yellow one with the small house with the cross on the Fark site. Unfortunately, the use of the cross is problematic, but otherwise it's the strongest one I've seen. I also agree with Cellardoorwhore's observation about the ethnic otherness of the people on the cover -- I mean, I think I agree. I assume that was sarcasm, but you never can tell with cdw.
the public, i went to the fark site earlier and had made up my mind on exactly the same yellow cover. i agree with the cross being problematic also, although i didn't make the connection initally- i read it as a red cross reference. although i guess the red cross being a cross must come from religion. anyways. i would make 'like you give a damn' a more contrasting color to the yellow. blue maybe.
of the inital 4, yes the 4th one is stronger but looks too much like smlxl.
i guess part of the issue is who do you want to appeal to? maybe a mass audience will make a stronger connection to the descriptive photographs. a designer audience will probably find a tight design in the cover promises more 'design credibility' on the inside, whatever i mean by that.
i feel awful saying these things because i'm a huge fan of cameron and the work afh does, by the way. i'm sure you'll work it out and whatever the cover is, i'll buy a copy next time i'm in the states. how's that?
not to be a reality geek or anything but i don't care so much what it looks like as long as i can read it. cool graphics and over elaborate icons and such would in fact be a bit put-offish. like reading volume or the latest from crimson (the dutch historians, work with oma, etc. very interesting content by the way, once you get past the overcooked graphics).
i bought smlxl cuz i liked bruce mau but i'll buy this one cuz i'm interested in the projects not the graphic design.
an online version of the book would be very nice. a good idea quondam.
decide our own damn cover.
ok... so we've spent about a year working on Design Like You Give A Damn and now it's time to give it a face. Our designers, Pure+Applied (who rock!), came up with four concepts for the cover. Seeing as we believe in an open collaborative design process we might as well walk the walk...
So Archinecters far and wide, come one, come all - vote on our damn cover and we will select the winning entry to be on the book shelves in the spring...
The last one, with the yellow letters on the black cover. Much more striking graphically than the others.
And...I hate how close-minded this sounds but I think the other covers' photographs might make some people say "oh, it's a book about third world vernacular - not interested..." without giving it a chance.
i like the last one too. it will certainly has a presence that will set it off from others in the store.
the first one feels too stylized.
strong agree on the yellow one...it gets the point across the best.
Yes, the last one. Just voted.
Ditto black and yellow. Dots comes in distant second. The other two don't rate (too timid?).
oh, duh - I didn't realize you had to go follow a link to vote.....thank you a-f! Here I go.
black and yellow, better design.
The images are not striking enough and even a little confusing.
the last one looks like a phone book.
two and three are too bizzee.
i like the first one minus the dots and move the title strip down to where it is the same distance from the bottom as it is now from the top. make the sky bluer. and you got yerself a wiener.
the third one gives me a headache when i look at it....
also think about it when it's in the stores -- this is just the cover jacket mind (which we are thinking of turning into a poster with a timeline of projects on the back)
the third one was designed that if you flip one book over it reads
[Design Like You] [Give A Damn] on the same axis.. and on the back are two night shots.
looks like the book has a square format. like art forum, which couldn't be copied on the copy machine (consider the poor people who cannot afford the price). i don't know the content. is the book a manual for design, case studies, statistics? visually as stated above, the bottom right one is most attention grabbing and has a text book quality. it also created, for me, this memory connection of, '...... for dummies' look (which i think brilliant series and by no means i mentioned in disrespect to AFH and the series itself), maybe it is the color association.
having said above, given the choices, i go for the yellow as well.
i will consider of buying one for multiple reasons. congratulations to AFH.
the yellow one, on the shelf, gets the initial attention. Once they flip it open it's up to the book, which I'm sure is up to the task...
btw that's not me -- I found a cheesy 'borders singles night' photo...
however if any of you use FARK <www.fark.com) they are doing a photoshop competition this afternoon...
hey quit hittin on my woman!
abra.. ..the book is 8" x 8" so when you open it you can print it on an 11x17.
the earthquake housing manual we are doing is made for photocopiers.. this is the 'coffee table book' version.
Why not just put the book online?
I choose #2 -- It appears more "human" less "only for architect types".
very thoughtful. AFH is saving lives.
my two distant relatives, my father side cousin's grandfather and grandfather died in marmara earthquake in their one story masonary house. two 80+ years old couple found under the rubble still holding eachother's hands. saving one life is priceless, but bringing out manuals to save communities is sainthood material.
quondam,
The reason for print is two-fold. There is never a voice for this sort of work. It is always relegated and not presented as 'real architecture' - by putting it in print it becomes a record.
Secondly, and somewhat selfishly, proceeds of the book will go towards funding projects like the free earthquake resistant housing manuals that will be distributed in Kashmir and supporting 'design fellows' to work on housing in gulf coast.
My vote: Last one with yellow text.
Cameron, the first reason is rather bogus, too much "giving a damn" about other's false perceptions of what is "real." Isn't the real design to make the information as accessible as possible? And it sounds like the manuals for Kashmir and the Gulf Coast could/should already be online without waiting for the "procedes."
my vote:
the yellow text on black background is too abstract for me. i prefer the second one with some pictures of people on the cover. it is architecture for humanity isn't it?
maybe something more like the bold yellow letters over top of an image with people would be better compromise between the humanity at stake and the need for a strong statement like "design like you give a damn"
quondam, they are... and have been for the past week.
however in order to make AFH work it needs to be sustainable.. we can't wait for a disaster everytime to raise funds.
As for Pakistan - I asked for ideas on here a week ago [posted to the news] and my collegues in Boston did the same.
The response from 'necters - zero.... Boston - 30
...looks like we're about to get a grilling....
visitors to the afh site don't seem to like the same ones we do...
It's the stirling prize winner vs. general public all over again!
Cameron, I certainly do not mean to grill you and AFH. I respect and admire your efforts and executions, but the AFH website could be a whole lot more.
It is the perception that "if it's not in print then it isn't real" that deserves the grilling. It's just another injustice, and architectural education has done nothing to correct this false perception, rather more just feed it. HTML is so easy and web publishing is so cheap that it is now extremely efficient thus requiring minimal sustainability. I know it's limited (in its contribution), but that's the kind of design I give a damn about.
I notice there is no call for volunteer webpage creation at www.architectureforhumanity.org
just a thought...if this book is being distributed to places where english is not the spoken language, wont it help if the cover had the name of the book in most of the languages where the book will be distributed? Im sure someone already thought about this...but i had to voice my concern
'damn' might be a bit difficult to translate, that being idioatic. in which case, being very lingo-culturally specific, the message title already precludes the rest of humanity with regard to readership. and in more conservative societies where religiousity is rife, 'damn' might be taken as a blasphemous affront on the part of the western heathen authors.
also, i like the expected ethnic otherness of the cover. its soo good hearted of you to surrender to cliches (am not saying cliches are bad, mind you)
idiomatic not idiotic, but ... ok
that fark page is already...interesting.
and i'll second quondam's sentiments on web publishing.
of the ones posted, the last one. However, I remember really liking the one you posted in the xmas wish thread. it was similar to the last one but with different colors.
..and the blue blue sky. i think at least that says something about the sky folded..
why does the book have to be square? square books are hard to read...the archeworks books are square, they don't work that well. I have a tado ando book that's square, same problem, doesn't read well.
quondam -- I respect and admire your efforts and executions, but the AFH website could be a whole lot more.
---
yeah, if we had funding we would. I usually update the site around 3-4am. Given the time constraints of only having 3 fulltime staff we focus on projects in the field than the site (though the site does need help).
I here what your saying about putting a years worth of research, writing, etc. up on line but right now we don't have the capacity or the funds to do that. Wait until March and you'll see a radical upgrading of AFHs' stuff.
I tried to vote "none of the above" but the poll is not working for some reason.
This volume deserves a cover that looks like it was designed by someone who gives a damn about graphic design!
As for quondam's issues -
No, not EVERYONE has access to internet, the ability to sit at the computer for as many hours as it takes to read a book, or the ability to print therefrom, especially at a high enough quality where photogrpahs are important to the message of the work. It's still valuable to have printed matter, it is easier on the human eye to read on a page than on a screen, and people still use public libraries and trade/pass these things around. This is a subject matter that is WORTH printing and investing in. And, there's certainly a lot of information about many of these projects online anyway, although they may be best explicated and organized in this volume.
As for the AFH website - there is SO MUCH INFORMATION on there, the organization of which will require a lot of involvement from AFH to get right - difficult when there are the matters of grantwriting, public presentations, and other more immediate organizing efforts to do. It's not like some designer can jump in and donate the time to put together a template and switch it all around real fast. If it were only a matter of interface design it would be much more simple.
Then at least compose a webpage that links to all the places online were many of the projects already are. That is WORTH doing too!
I am not suggesting a redesign of the AFH website, rather using as a true publishing entity.
I like the yellow one with the small house with the cross on the Fark site. Unfortunately, the use of the cross is problematic, but otherwise it's the strongest one I've seen. I also agree with Cellardoorwhore's observation about the ethnic otherness of the people on the cover -- I mean, I think I agree. I assume that was sarcasm, but you never can tell with cdw.
Anybody know how to control image size in the script?
put " width=400" after the usual, before the "[/img]"
don't forget the space btw the end of the url and the word "width"
the yellow one looks like smlxl, imo
sorry Public, I wanted to see it...no patience
Thanks.
they are all (the first four) quite terrible. find a graphic designer who gives a damn
My meager, at work, attempt.
Click for full size, eh.
the public, i went to the fark site earlier and had made up my mind on exactly the same yellow cover. i agree with the cross being problematic also, although i didn't make the connection initally- i read it as a red cross reference. although i guess the red cross being a cross must come from religion. anyways. i would make 'like you give a damn' a more contrasting color to the yellow. blue maybe.
of the inital 4, yes the 4th one is stronger but looks too much like smlxl.
i guess part of the issue is who do you want to appeal to? maybe a mass audience will make a stronger connection to the descriptive photographs. a designer audience will probably find a tight design in the cover promises more 'design credibility' on the inside, whatever i mean by that.
i feel awful saying these things because i'm a huge fan of cameron and the work afh does, by the way. i'm sure you'll work it out and whatever the cover is, i'll buy a copy next time i'm in the states. how's that?
not to be a reality geek or anything but i don't care so much what it looks like as long as i can read it. cool graphics and over elaborate icons and such would in fact be a bit put-offish. like reading volume or the latest from crimson (the dutch historians, work with oma, etc. very interesting content by the way, once you get past the overcooked graphics).
i bought smlxl cuz i liked bruce mau but i'll buy this one cuz i'm interested in the projects not the graphic design.
an online version of the book would be very nice. a good idea quondam.
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