Bau Magazine's radical, bold approach to cover design in the 1960s
There’s something about central Europe and graphic design, and if we needed any more proof of that, the ICA has drawn together a stunning collection of covers of Austrian architecture magazine Bau. To gives it its full title, Bau: Magazine for Architecture and Urban Planning was unusual in its glossy-magazine stylings, and fostered a brave, interdisciplinary approach to looking at the built environment; examining its relationship with politics, art and people.
The ICA show presents original issues of the magazine published between 1965 and 1970; when Austrian architects and artists including Hans Hollein, Walter Pichler, Günther Feuerstein and Oswald Oberhuber, took over its editorship. The imagery is beautiful, eschewing traditional bricks and mortar shots for bold art direction and diverse typography that look more akin to stylised zines or fashion pages; creating a playful, punk approach that’s utterly irresistible.
Everything is Architecture: Bau Magazine from the 60s and 70s runs from 29 July – 27 September at the ICA
Title design: Oswald Oberhuber, unter Verwendung eines Entwurfes von W. Balichin (Wehutein): Bau Magazine Issue 5- 6 , 1966
Published by Zentralvereinigung der Architekten Österrreichs
On loan from the Architectural Association Library
Title image Archiv Hollein, Ulrich Gertz, Plastik der Gegenwart: Bau Magazine, Issue 3, 1966
Published by Zentralvereinigung der Architekten Österrreichs
On loan from the Architectural Association Library
Ideal Theater, Archiv Holzmeister: Bau Magazine 1-2, 1966
Published by Zentralvereinigung der Architekten Österrreichs
On loan from the Architectural Association Library
Bau Magazine, Issue 3, 1965
Published by Zentralvereinigung der Architekten Österrreichs
On loan from the Architectural Association Library
Hans Hollein and Walter Pichler: Bau Issue 1, 1965
Published by Zentralvereinigung der Architekten Österrreichs
Architekturzentrum Wien, Collection
Title design: Walter Pichler, unter Verwendung eines Diagramms aus der Publikation New Movement in Cities“ von Brian Richards: Bau Heft 1 / 1967
Published by Zentralvereinigung der Architekten Österrreichs
On loan from the Architectural Association Library
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Emily joined It’s Nice That as Online Editor in the summer of 2014 after four years at Design Week. She is particularly interested in graphic design, branding and music. After working It's Nice That as both Online Editor and Deputy Editor, Emily left the company in 2016.