It’s been barely four years since Buro Destruct, trailblazers of modern Swiss design, published their first ever collection of works at dgv. Best-known for their ostensibly digital design solutions with a generous touch of craftsmanship, relaxed cleverness and humour, this Bern-based design collective has since realized a multitude of fascinating projects for clients of all shapes and sizes – and assembled the resulting highlights in this book. 
Buro Destruct II follows its predecessor in layout, structure and the healthy mix of commissioned and free designs. In content, too, the volume shows a consistent continuation, development and refinement of the distinctive Buro Destruct style, providing an in-depth peek at the collective’s experiments, work methods and background through a number of case studies. 
In addition, internal projects like Typedifferent, the Los Logos website, Buro Discotec, Buro Discount and Rainbow are exhaustively documented. 
With their "instinctive graphics" Buro Destruct prove that it’s possible to become both more complex and focused, older and fresher, wiser and punkier at the same time. Still inspired by literally everything that surrounds them, they have retained their cheeky freedom to (every once and again) dabble in a little cultivated nonsense.

Buro Destruct II

Reference

Die Gestalten Verlag

Long ignored and belittled for its proximity to comic culture and vandalism, graffiti has steadfastly remained in the public view: ubiquitous and with a natural affinity to architecture it has become a fundamental aspect of the modern city, influencing public perception and borrowed by fashion, packaging, graphic designers and architects alike. An offspring of this graffiti scene, born out of tags and throw-ups, writing is modern urban calligraphy. While the classic New York style of writing originated in typography, it in turn has left its mark on virtually all visual disciplines: strictly speaking the arrangement of space by outlines, writing has become an invaluable influence and inspiration, especially in the realm of illustration, logo design, motion graphics and architecture. Complemented by a number of essays, "Writing" (compiled by Berlin activists and designers Markus Mai and Arthur Remke) now surveys this appropriation of public space and examines the detailed fusion of analogue writing and digital design. Divided by contributors the content spans from straight documentation of this low tech conspiracy to extremely intricate architectural exercises, integrating the unique spatial properties of graffiti writing, its shapes, forms and angles, into three-dimensional objects or buildings.

Writing: Urban Calligraphy and Beyond

Arts & Photography

Mai, Markus

Remke, Arthur

History & Criticism

Whether they appear as painted stones, smiling houses, Nick Park-like clay figures or classical cartoons, characters are still the best way to create visuals with which one can identify. 
Peter Thaler has built upon the success of "Pictoplasma", one of dgv’s best-selling titles of all time. Avoiding the lure of creating a straightforward sequel or the simple repetition of his winning formula, he has once again distilled a fine selection of first-rate works from over 9,000 entries. 
While the traditional role of these loveable icons as commercial branding tools remains important, this volume also touches on the vital new design impulses that have enriched the picto realm during the last few years. More and more often, designers are taking their favourites from the drawing board and computer to the streets as customised objects, urban art and graffiti. Parallel to an overall trend to shake off the shackles of two dimensions, even more of Thaler’s selections have made the jump into the third dimension. For example, cute to grotesque action figures, which are increasingly coveted by adult collectors, are spread across the pages in perfect harmony with traditional graphic design and illustrations by both talented newcomers and stars like Peter Fowler. 
No matter if it’s scribbles, freehand or vector designs, puppets, street art or abstraction: Pictoplasma 2’s prime focus remains the development of interesting character ideas and the fertile exchange between different styles and media.

Pictoplasma 2: Contemporary Character Design

Thaler, Peter

Graphic Design

23 fairy tales are lovingly illustrated by Gestalten favourites (see list below). Childhood friends such as Hansel and Gretel or Cinderella are featured in addition to less well-known but no less wonderful protagonists. The visual updates underline the relevance and timeless language of these all-time classics. 
These new images will delight all ages. Each and every one of the illustrations was drawn with a loving, magical touch and infused with that secret yearning for bygone innocence and simplicity. Some are painstakingly drawn, some roughly sketched; others are madly detailed, cartoony, playful, romantic, imaginative, captivating, dark, trendy, stylised, strange, psychedelic, impish or enigmatical. Each and every chapter opens up a new realm of magic and colour, and readers will be tempted to skip ahead to rediscover more fairy lands. 
Masterfully executed, convincing and extraordinarily fun, this classical hardcover volume will make an ideal present for (god)children, their parents or even yourself. Bookmark included. 
Featuring: Åbake, Christian Montenegro, Deanne Cheung, Bastien Aubry (Silex), Rilla Alexander (Rinzen), Judith Zaugg, A-Linha, Dead Chickens, Kytarow, etc., etc.

Grimm: The Illustrated Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm

Children's Books

GRIMM, WILHELM

Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths

Romance is back in fashion, design and art. In the last two to three years vector design has been made softer and more human with elements done by hand. Now designers are playing with motifs that hearken back to an era way before desktop publishing: flowers, butterflies, hearts, candles, sunsets and ornaments. Through its presentation of classical romantic elements in outstanding examples of contemporary illustration, photography and graphic design this book defines a current version of "Romantik".

Romantik

Lingua Universalis

H. Paravicini, Johannes Plass

With the rallying cry "we need new mysteries," +rosebud appealed to over 200 international artists, designers, scientists and authors to investigate the remaining enigmas in our world. The resulting fifth issue of the design magazine reveals secrets still hidden within our seemingly demystified and predictable everyday lives. 
mystery presents the experiments of the participating artists on 350 impressive pages. Varying widely in form and content, all contributions examine the unexplained and paradoxical through subjects ranging from quantum physics and parapsychology to jackalopes. 
Like its award-winning predecessors, +rosebud no.5 challenges the conventions of ordinary design magazines with unusual features including an integrated paper bag filled with little extras.

Rosebud No. 5: Mystery

Herms, Ralf

Jim Avignon, cartoon poet, speed painter and performance genius, regards himself as a modern storyteller. His illustrations express the complex relationships of our times by the simplest of means. 
Loving, personal, direct, playful, perfectly observant and a little crazy, Avignon crafts a visual critique of society, exposing everyday absurdities from business to love with an apt, sympathetic bite. 
The third issue of Attack Delay, a personal magazine in book format, presents current highlights by this hero of modern multitasking in his unmistakable Technicolor cartoon style. In addition to Avignon’s own work, "You can’t always want what you get" features pages done by guest artists including DJ Kid Koala and musician Angie Reed.

Attack Delay 3: You Can't Always Want What You Get

Avignon, Jim

Sonic features over 1,000 examples of today's most striking record covers and concert posters from around the world. The book focuses on contemporary work for underground, independent, pop, alternative rock and electronica artists.

Sonic: Visuals for Music

Music

Almost three years after putting our worldwide bestseller Los Logos together, dgv announces its much-anticipated follow-up. Dos Logos presents extensive examples of contemporary logo design in even greater depth and charts new developments in the field. 
Done in the same format as the first volume, Dos Logos explores the exceptional visual language and stylistic approaches to logo creation by designers from around the globe. It is thoroughly indexed, catalogued by subject and systematically structured according to various search criteria. 
In order to offer even more value to conscientious designers in terms of practicality, it also classifies the included work according to the industry or purpose for which it was designed (music, fashion, corporate, etc.). In addition, the book contains more unusual applications and a broader range of logos including those used on building facades, on clothing and as illuminated advertising. 
Its scope and usefulness make Dos Logos the ultimate update on the current state of logo design.

Dos Logos

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