Argent Print Design is Structured Like a Walking Tour
Argent is one of the largest property developers in the United Kingdom that was, since 2001, working on the rejuvenation and reimagination of London’s King’s Cross, one of the biggest single ownership developments in downtown for well over hundred years.
S-T creative agency, one of the best graphic design agencies today, has created a print publication that promotes Argent’s architectural King’s Cross project, dubbed “A Walk Around King’s Cross”. The publication, made in collaboration with The Architect’s Journal, showcases 21 completed sites in this area.
According to the agency, the task was to “bring these projects to life for readers, and enhance Argent’s reputation as a leader in its field.” The creative solution was based on the idea of a walking tour, which the publication was structured as. This concept was introduced through a cover unfolding as a map.
The final look was created for an audience that is educated in architecture and design and results in a modern, fashionable layout packed with colorful vibrancy, professionalism and is a suitable homage to one of London’s iconic neighborhoods.
Simple Layout and Hi-Res Photography Highlight Long-Form Articles
Argent design print’s layout is remarkably simple in its nature and resembles the classic publication in its interior. The long-form articles on different facets of King’s Cross’s reconstructions are complemented by photographic highlights that immerse a reader in the location.
Pages dedicated to photos only, maps of the area, both historical and modern, glimpses into the area’s past and references for tomorrow, all of this makes for a complementary material to the well-researched and well-executed text. The typography used throughout the entire publication is a very legible form of sans serif font that is easy to read and skim through.
The combination of black and white photos and illustrations in colors provides enough variety to keep a very lengthy publication eye-pleasing and interesting to the reader.
Vibrant Color Complements the Black And White Abstracts of the Cover Photo
The actual cover of the Argent’s publication sets the tone for what’s inside but, more importantly, helps the book pop out on the bookshelves and in retail windows. The vibrant, almost luminous shade of vermilion – reddish orange hue – is hinted at on the “AJ” circle on the cover, but is featured much more prominently on the spine of the book and its back.
The vermilion shade alters in different spots of the cover, but this is only the optical illusion caused by the different thickness of lines, particularly on the area’s map.
The fonts on the cover are in contrasting white, specifically on the synopsis text on the back and the title. The photo on the cover is the artistic shot of the King’s Cross’s concrete mesh, producing a very abstract, geometrical shape that, in its greys and blacks, goes so well with the primary color.
Quality Paper and Print Execution Deepens the Argent Publication Effect
Befitting the well thought-out design, carefully arranged visuals and custom-made typography, the quality of the publication’s paper is also on the spot, as it helps bring out all of the aforementioned qualities of the publication to the surface.
Matte paper produces no reflection on the visuals, therefore not obscuring any of the details that may be of note on the photos. The consistency of the materials is extended to the fold-in maps present in the interior, that also boast a sturdy, resilient breed of paper.
Thanks to this, orange accents – which is the only color present in the publication, not counting the photos on color – really come to the fore and highlight the contrast between certain parts and those not in colors. The font print is also crisp clean and very sharp, contributing to overall legibility.
Argent Print Design is a Cutting-Edge Instance of Timeless Best Practices
S-T's Argent print design is a work of art in its own right and in its own very particular niche that is architecture publications.
Without being overly flashy, packed with cutting-edge inserts, highlights, elements and flair, it is a well-put-together book that takes pride of Argent’s achievements on a project that was ongoing for more than 20 years.
As such, it subdues the genre and offers a subtle, more intricate take on modern architecture publications by bridging the gap between the present and the past. The layout of the book’s interior will feel familiar to anyone used to reading the classic books, published by iconic publishing houses. Explore the best logo designs by UK agencies.
It is this restraint, fine use of a single color to give the book its character and the professional use of visuals that won Argent print design its DesignRush Best Print Design Award for April 2022.
