A is van Os
Book for Autobahn
Anyone who can read knows the 26 letters of the Latin alphabet. But where do those letters come from? How long do they exist? And who designed them? Autobahn and Bette Westera take you back to the time of your distant ancestors, who made a drawing if they wanted to "write" something. Slowly but surely, their drawings changed into the first letters. If you look closely, you can recognize the Latin current alphabet. And guess what? A is not for Apple at all, but for Ox! An educational letter book for all ages!
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A is van Os Book Press Releases
For A is van Os, find press releases in a variety of languages: English.
A is van Os Book Media Articles
Ready-to-feature articles on A is van Os are available in these languages: Portuguese, English, Korean, Japanese, Russian, Spanish, Dutch, Indonesian, German, Arabic (Standard), French, Italian, Chinese (Mandarin), Hindi and Turkish, for your convenience.
Unique Properties
A is van Os shows the development of each letter in four time periods in history. The changes are visualised in bright colours so they are easy to follow. Since the first letters were cut in stone, Autobahn hand carved all original letterforms in stone as a visual reference. The stone on the cover of the book is finished with a gravel coating so it becomes tactile. Besides the book Autobahn designed 3 typefaces which are free for download and can be used to send secret messages to friends in earlier forms of the alphabet.
Tags
Autobahn, Typography, Design, Graphic, Alphabet, Writing, Dutch, History, Book, Children
Production Technology
Print: PMS 805, Reflex Blue Paper: Arctic Volume 115gr Hard cover: Cardboard wrapped in Wibalin Soft 300gr Varnish: Spot-UV gravel coating on cover Stones: Hand-cut and photographed
Design Challenge
To show this transition of the alphabet, Autobahn visualised the transformation for each letter with clear lines and color differences. Through this method, readers can easily follow the transformations, see how the letter developed and still see where it originated from. This aspect makes the book unique in its sort.
Project Duration
The project started in 2016 and was published in 2018 in Dutch. It was exhibited at the 65th Type Directors Club New York in 12 countries, received a Golden European Design Award and was nominated for a D&AD award and a Dutch Creativity award. The book is translated into French in 2020 and in English in 2021 (Q4).
Operation Flow
Text and image are insightful, worth knowing and in an appealing, hyper-hip style for kids; bright blue and almost fluorescent orange-red. Design, drawings and text are coherent and consistent, this entire book exudes the basic principle of the often awarded Autobahn: text is image. A wonderful book for all children and others who love letters, history and design.
Research
Our alphabet has changed considerably over time. In short, it began 4,000 years ago with images carved into rock in the Sinai desert. This script (called Proto-Sinaitic) was adopted and modified by the neighboring Phoenicians (around 1500 BC). The Phoenicians were seafaring folk and granted the alphabet to the Greeks (around 800 BC); which made trading far easier. The Greeks slightly adapted the letter forms before handing them on to the Romans, who completed the alphabet. And it's this alphabet that we, in the Western world, still use today.
Inspiration
The initiative originated from the work ethos of Autobahn: text is image. Designer Rob Stolte was fascinated by the way his son was learning to write and would get him to copy the alphabet. A four year old's spatial insight is far from developed. They tend to write in different sizes, mirrored and upside down. It was during this process that Stolte recognised a number of alphabetical primordial forms. From there, he decided to design a series of objects explaining the history of our alphabet.
Image Credits
Photo's: © De Monsterkamer / Justina Nekrašaitė
Project Overview
A is van Os Book has been a Silver winner in the Print and Published Media Design award category in the year 2020 organized by the prestigious A' Design Award & Competition. The Silver A' Design Award celebrates top-tier designs that embody excellence and innovation. This award acknowledges creations that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also highly functional, reflecting the designer's deep understanding and skill. Silver A' Design Award recipients are recognized for their contribution to raising industry standards and advancing the practice of design. Their work often incorporates original innovations and elicits a strong emotional response, making a notable impact on the improvement of everyday life.
Silver Recognition
Autobahn was recognized with the coveted Silver A' Design Award in 2021, a testament to excellence of their work A is van Os Book.
Autobahn Press Releases
Our press releases on Autobahn and their work are made freely available for press members looking to add depth to their content. Press members can now immediately access 1 press releases.
Autobahn Unveils "A is van Os" Book Showcasing the History of the Alphabet
Autobahn introduces "A is van Os," a captivating book unveiling the fascinating history of the alphabet, designed to engage readers of all ages with its unique visual storytelling approach.
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