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book (design) story #379

hermann wandersleb:
neuer wohnbau / band 1+2

otto maier verlag, ravensburg, around 1952
printer: ensslin-druck, reutlingen (1) / r. oldenbourg, münchen (2)
size: 29 x 22 cm
designer: richard paul lohse (cover)

here we have two volumes of a book series on domestic building. both covers were designed by richard paul lohse (1902-1988) who designed several covers/jackets for architectural publications in a similar style – see books 52, 371 and 378.

edited by hermann wandersleb (1895-1977), a german politician and secretary of state, the books document some of the (re-)construction efforts in germany after ww2.

while the first volume of 1952 focusses on social housing projects supported by the eca (economic cooperation administration), ...

... the 2nd volume of 1958 also covers the buildings planned for the interbau exhibition of the hansaviertel in berlin.

lohse used sans-serif for the covers, ...

... while the inner pages (not credited to lohse) are also designed with bodoni – in an asymmetric, multi-column layout but not based on a consistent grid.

modern kitchens designed by arne jacobsen (right), ...

... the curved apartment block by walter gropius, ...

... and le corbusier's "machine for living", still under construction.