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book (design) story #87

alfred roth:
das neue schulhaus / the new school / la nouvelle ecole

girsberger, zürich, 1950
size: 25 x 18 cm
designer: max bill

this book by swiss architect alfred roth (1903-1998) is about modern school buildings. the simple, raw linen cover and abbreviated title – "ns" for "new school" – reminds of roth's earlier book published by dr. hans girsberger (see story 51).

although there are no credits in the impressum, we know that the book was again designed by max bill (1908-1994). it is listed in the catalogue raisonné of his typographic work (isbn 3721203410), ...

... however it says there that the dustjacket was designed not by bill but by graphic artist karl mannhart. the (clichéed modernist) yellow, red and blue squares of the jacket's front are repeated on the spine.

the trilingual, multi-column layout, sans-serif type and grid-based placement of photos is classic swiss typography.

among the documented projects: impington school in cambridgeshire, england, designed by walter gropius and maxwell fry (below).