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Visual Coexistence: Informationdesign and Typography in the Intercultural Field
In a globalized world, Asian, Latin and Arabic characters and visual cultures appear side by side and woven together. The coexistence of different visual cultures is now part of our daily lives and a given feature of our communication systems. But how do we best present information, structures and designs from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds?
Visual communication has classically been guided by principles of uniformity and simplification, values that seem unable to adequately cope with the coexistence of different systems of representation. How can we set up equitable systems for cross-cultural communication that honor the diversity of writing systems? What new design values are needed for an age of global communications?
In Visual Coexistence , graphic designer Ruedi Baur leads a research team in investigating and analyzing visual graphics from different cultures, with a focus on Chinese and Latin writing systems, in order to identify their specific principles of depiction and the ways in which they visually communicate. From this interdisciplinary, intercultural investigation, the designers recommend appropriate, differentiated design solutions for global communication. Exploring the problems and possibilities of multilingual typography and visual representation, Visual Coexistence advocates for design as a tool of global understanding.
Visual communication has classically been guided by principles of uniformity and simplification, values that seem unable to adequately cope with the coexistence of different systems of representation. How can we set up equitable systems for cross-cultural communication that honor the diversity of writing systems? What new design values are needed for an age of global communications?
In Visual Coexistence , graphic designer Ruedi Baur leads a research team in investigating and analyzing visual graphics from different cultures, with a focus on Chinese and Latin writing systems, in order to identify their specific principles of depiction and the ways in which they visually communicate. From this interdisciplinary, intercultural investigation, the designers recommend appropriate, differentiated design solutions for global communication. Exploring the problems and possibilities of multilingual typography and visual representation, Visual Coexistence advocates for design as a tool of global understanding.
312 pages, Paperback
Published August 18, 2020
14 people want to read
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
August 4, 2023
Not a book that can be read through passively. The map of correspondence classification system I thought did a beautiful job of eradicating as much colonial bias as possible. Graphics and comparisons are rich but would take me a few minutes to settle into a page. And then needing to do it for the next page over.
Maybe I’m just not used to this format of blocks of research text paired with page references to later on in the book. The way I approached it while reading left me with confusing pacing.
The entirety of this book is done with intention. No element of research felt less than whole.
Beautiful and careful design with rich information. Will be something i need to revisit
Maybe I’m just not used to this format of blocks of research text paired with page references to later on in the book. The way I approached it while reading left me with confusing pacing.
The entirety of this book is done with intention. No element of research felt less than whole.
Beautiful and careful design with rich information. Will be something i need to revisit
Displaying 1 of 1 review