City Abandoned

Charting the Loss of Civic Institutions in Philadelphia

Book cover and interior

Abandoned book cover
Abandoned Book covers

Client:
Paul Dry Books

Art direction:
Dermot Mac Cormack

Designer:
Dermot Mac Cormack
Patricia McElroy

Photography:
Vincent Feldman

Writers:
Kenneth Finkel
John Andrew Gallery
Vincent Feldman

 

Designing a minimalist book, one that compliments the content, while still conveying the spirit of the author’s vision (as well as the publisher of course) is no simple task. And “City Abandoned,” designed for Paul Dry Books, is no exception in this regard. Each of Vincent Feldman’s powerful images required its own space to breathe on the page, while the typography conveys the timelessness of the imagery, and the overall design invokes the importance of the work that Vincent has undertaken with such a large theme. Every detail, from the font selection, the paper choice, the embossing on the cloth cover, and the layout for each section, were all carefully considered so that when the reader holds this volume in their hands, the physicality of this object becomes the perfect vehicle to showcase its thought-provoking photography.

This book features over 150 photographs, each with an accompanying history, outlining the story behind each building. The volume is an eloquent homage to Philadelphia’s once-proud architectural past and an urgent call-to-action to rescue the city’s architectural heritage. 

“An aesthetic masterpiece—most relevant and revealing for our time.”
—Robert Venturi

RECOGNITION

2015 Graphis Design Annual (International)
Silver Award
Pedersen Design Group New York NY

Philadelphia Design Awards
AIGA
Certificate of Design Excellence
2017

Publication Design

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Cover Design

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