AK

This portfolio of personal architectural work is an exploration into book binding techniques and craft. Aside from the laser-etched title on the cover, the production of the book was entirely manual.

Self-publishing at a small scale has limited design options. Hand binding allowed for much more freedom in the design of the book.  For example, AK makes use of a decorative yet functional Japanese binding (a technique inspired by WA: The Essence of Japanese Design by Stefania Piotti). Given that only 9 copies of this book were to be produced, professional binding using such idiosyncratic techniques was not an economically efficient option.

Construction of the book using Japanese binding was made possible with a drill press, which was used to make the holes along the spine. The content pages were printed professionally, single-sided, and creased into a French fold. High quality 2-ply chipboard was used for the cover to emphasize the D.I.Y. feel. Overall the book measures 8 x 9 inches, a comfortable dimension which encourages holding.

Advisor: Ian Searcy