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book (design) story #101

c. f. kollbrunner, marc giovanola (2):
bauen in stahl / bauen in stahl 2

schweizerischer stahlbauverband, zürich, 1954 / 1960, 1954
printer: berichthaus, zürich / meier & cie., schaffhausen
size: 31 x 22 cm
designer: richard paul lohse

among the numerous books richard paul lohse (1902-1988) designed in the modern architecture field (see stories 52, 99, 100) there are these two books for the swiss association for steel construction – the first volume was published in 1954, the second in 1960.

let's compare the two books. the 1954 red photographic dustjacket shows the steel skeleton of the "jelmoli" department store bulding in zurich.

on the 1960 book a modern facade (ptt building, buchs) covers the whole jacket. the black and white photo and steel-blue title (akzidenz -grotesk, of course) add to an austere, almost "cold" look.

the rectangular rhythm of this facade reminds of lohse's "serial" painting.

the comparison of the cloth covers also reveal the "colder" look of the later book.

while the earlier book varies the typography on the cover and title page, ...

the second volume aims for visual unity.

the inner pages demonstrate a solid swiss grid-based layout. below the welfare bulding with dining hall of the brown bovery company in baden, switzerland (today: abb group).

the famous seagram tower in new york (by mies van der rohe and philip johnson) in the second book – the typography is very appropriate.

the 1960 volume includes some colour photographs: below the cable car across the lake of zurich, built for a garden exhibition in 1959. this book won a "most beautiful swiss books" award, and a gold medal at the "most beautiful books of the world" contest in leipzig.