Typotron-Heft 28 – Lokremise St.Gallen

The Typotron series of booklets is a cultural contribution that has been published since 1983 by Typotron AG, a printing factory based in St.Gallen. The booklets are created in cooperation with a variety of graphic designers, photographers and authors, with each issue dedicated to a particular cultural topic typical for the region. The topic of issue No. 28 is the old “Lokremise”, an all-encompassing cultural centre located in a former locomotive roundhouse shed in St.Gallen. This also explains the booklet’s shape, colour and the enormous weight of 1 kg: as a reminder of the history of the building, the book was given the look of a coal briquette. The reduced design of the cover, which is less sturdy than those of previous editions and sits flush with the pages instead of being slightly bigger, is taken up on the inside. A clear typography is used to produce a stringent appearance, which stands out due to text running across the centrefold. Statement by the jury »The book distinguishes itself through a tactile pleasant quality and a plain minimalist layout. The harmonious implementation of photography and typography make it both distinctive and a pleasure to read. Alongside the convincing idea of giving it the shape of a black coal briquette, it is the text running across the centrefold that is most refreshing, a technique that is normally taught to students as a no-go.«