January 2013

Richard Poulin Pens First Historical Overview of Graphic Design and Architecture

Whether we are aware of it or not, the built environment we experience everyday of our lives relies heavily on graphic design to communicate information and identity as well as influence our overall feelings about place. Richard Poulin's latest book, Graphic Design + Architecture: A 20th-Century History is the first publication of its kind to provide a comprehensive historical overview of the unique pairing of these two disciplines.

With examples dating back as far as ancient times (cave paintings in Lascaux; Egyptian hieroglyphics; Roman monumental inscriptions), to the modern era (Russian constructivist wall murals during the Bolshevik Revolution; the great white ways of Times Square, Piccadilly Circus, and the Las Vegas Strip), Graphic Design + Architecture reveals the continuous dialogue that has been exchanged between graphic design and the built environment throughout history.

Richard deftly discusses the relationship between typography, image, symbol, and visual storytelling in the modern world by exploring principal themes, major technical developments, important manufacturers, and pioneering designers over the last hundred years. He places the union of graphic design and architecture in the context of artistic, social, and cultural movements and influences of the twentieth century.

A comprehensive and invaluable publication, Graphic Design + Architecture provides readers with an array of narrative and visual references that richly illustrate this unique and often overlooked creative union.

“Mandatory reading for every graphic designer and architect, as well as all those that aspire to these two professions, and most importantly for all who are concerned with the humanizing possibilities inherent in the visual arts.”—James Stewart Polshek, FAIA

“It is a massive collection of material, of benefit and illumination to everyone in the design disciplines. It has stimulated my memory and inspires me to continue.”—Deborah Sussman, HAIA, FSEGD

Graphic Design + Architecture: A 20th-Century History

By Richard Poulin

Released: November 2012

$55.00 US, hardcover

ISBN-13: 978-1-59253-779-2

272 pages, 400 photos