Introduction
Process: How to Create Community Buildings with Impact is a guide for civic leaders, written and directed by an architecture and design firm, with contributions from clients, industry colleagues, City staff, and elected officials.
The 208-page publication functions as a manual guiding the decision-making process throughout each stage of a public building project, from pre-design all the way through to construction, occupancy and post-occupancy.
NAVIGATION
A graphic designed to illustrate the entire public building process became both the visual for the contents page, as well as a navigation indicator running vertically up the right edge of each spread.
This feature enables readers to fan through the book and quickly navigate to the section corresponding with their current project phase.
Layout
Structured as a working manual, the spreads include generous margins to encourage note-taking. The pages are adorned with red handwritten notes reminiscent of architectural ‘red-lining’.
Written in a casual tone of voice these notes create a conversation with the reader, warning of common tripping hazards on projects and providing important tips and insights. 
Book Jacket
This book aims to help public building projects and project teams operate like a ‘well-oiled machine’.
Since projects of this nature are highly-demanding, requiring years of incessant stewardship from civic leaders—the reference manual guiding this process warranted a hard-wearing book jacket. 
Heavy-duty canvas was selected for its tactile characteristics. The bold black typographic design screen-printed onto canvas was intended to wear unevenly, hearkening back to ‘glovebox’ machinery manuals that bore battle scars from use.
Binding
Beneath the cover exists an exposed spine metaphorically representing the design process—revealing how the book is made.
Recognition
D&AD - Shortlisted - Specialist Subject Covers
AIGA - Winner - 50 Books 50 Covers
Creative Arts - Award of Excellence - Design Annual
Adobe Print Award - Second Place - Cover Design
Contributors
Book, cover, and jacket design
Nicole Bonnie Retief
Design support
Byron Theriault
Production management
Judy Bau
Editor and copywriter
Oli Lewis
Printed by
MET Fine Printers
Photography
Gabriel Cabrera
Photography styling
Carl Ostberg
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