A Book Fell Off a Building — Studio Remco van Baren

A multidisciplinary designer based in Arnhem, recently graduated from the Artez Institute of the Arts. With a focus on blending graphic design, 3D modeling, audio, research practices, and accessibility, my work spans both digital and print media.

Feel free to reach out for collaborations / opportunities.

Instagram

E-Mail

all projects

All projects

A Book Fell Off a Building, Exploded

Back & Forth
Online soon

Walking Dinner / Branding

Redditor’s Dictionary

///

///A Book Fell Off a Building, Exploded
The Best Dutch Book Designs 2023, Student Catalogue

Publication / Book Design and Binding, 2024
Concept and Design by Remco van Baren and Uus Offerhaus.
Featured in The Best Dutch Book Designs exhibition at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam until January 5th, 2024

"What! Falling? Exploding?! That might sound dramatic, but book design does seem to be in free fall."

As part of our graduation process, Uus Offerhaus and I got the honour to make the student catalogue for The Best Dutch Book Designs 2023. We were excited about creating a book that challenged traditional design and binding methods. That excitement lasted until we saw the first quote from the printer. It turns out professional book design within a budget is far more restrictive than the limitless possibilities we had during our studies, when producing only a single copy.

But we didn't give up on our vision. Instead of finding something new, we cut to the core of our idea and threw the rest of the apple away. We wanted the books in true size, and we wanted an upward fold.

The bookmaking industry is in free fall—plummeting from a building, pushed off by rising paper costs, local printers and binders in trouble, and the digital age attempting to render creatives obsolete at a fast pace. Printers and binders are struggling to keep the craft alive, and the world outside our bubble isn't much better. But what happens at the end of a fall, when you hit the ground? Explosion. Into something new.

So in this catalogue, we show you something true (size), and something new. The books are printed in their actual format first, and then you fold upward to see the books unfolded, exploded into a new image that you couldn't see by just holding the book in your hands. Folded out flat—splat on the ground—we show you every side, nook, and cranny of these thirty-three books.

Uus Offerhaus devised the unique unfolding and binding method. Together we crafted a book that cannot be bound like a traditional book. Each spread is glued together, forming a double-folded page within the book. This construction allows each spread to unfold upward, revealing 'explosions' of The Best Dutch Book Designs 2023 Student Pick. These images are composed of cut-out photos from all angles, creating objective views that aren't realistic but showcase every facet of each book. Accompanying each explosion is a note from one of the student jury members, explaining why the book was chosen.

In the regular spreads (not unfolded), the books are depicted at their true size. We chose to print details like the author, designer, printer, and binder on the inside of the dust jacket. The dust jacket wraps around the first and last pages of the book; the book itself doesn't have a traditional cover. This is to highlight all the covers but also play into budget considerations. Only the outside of the dust jacket is printed in full color, while the rest is deep black PMS.

Photo: Best Dutch Book Designs 2023 Exhibition at Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam © Chris van Houts

Want to see our book and the other selected works in person? A Book Fell Off a Building, Exploded is part of The Best Dutch Book Designs 2023 exhibition at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, running until January 5th. Don't miss it!

In Collaboration with

Stichting De Best Verzorgde Boeken,
Gaphic Design Arnhem,
ArtEZ University of the Arts

Special thanks to

ArtEZ University of the Arts, Arnhem,
Gerrit Rietveld Academie Amsterdam,
Hogeschool voor de Kunsten Utrecht

Project Supervisors

Jeremy Jansen,
Esther Scholten

Print Run

150 copies

Student Jury

Hasan Halilov (Rietveld),
Midas Boering (HKU),
Uus Offerhaus (ArtEZ),
Vlad Omelianenko (KABK),
Yateesha van Loon (Minerva)

Printer

NPN Drukkers, Breda

Binder

Binderij Voetelink, Haarlem

Paper

IGEPA Nederland

Paper Type

Emotion Touch 1.5 Natural White 120 g/m²,
Emotion Pure 1.5 White 90 g/m²

Typeface

Letter Gothic Std

Sponsors and Supporters

ASF Goede Doelen Fonds,
Fonds Pictoright,
IGEPGA Nederland,
Van Heek Textiles