Fieldwork, Visualization & Materialities: “Working With” in Tarlabaşı, Istanbul
Editorial Design | Page Layout | Human-Centered Design | Design Proposal | Academic Publishing
What it is:
This was a proposed page design for Fieldwork, Visualization & Materialities: “Working With” in Tarlabaşı, Istanbul, one of the contributions to Political Ecology as Practice: A Regional Approach to the Anthropocene. Although the proposal wasn’t selected for the final publication, I loved the direction and the challenge it posed, and I’m still proud of the work.
The article was about the practice of fieldwork and the relationship between the researcher and the researched. It centered on the idea of working with (rather than working on) the community members involved in the research, and the importance of prioritizing the wants, needs, and expectations of the communities with which researchers work. That spirit of collaboration and respect, that dismissal of authority in favor of agency and exchange, shaped my design concept.
What’s inside:
Page Design
Thoughtful page design mockups that reflect themes in the academic essay.
Design Direction
Designs rooted in the essay’s core themes of “working with,” not “on” research subjects.
Not Quite Final
These weren’t published, but they’re pretty close to it. The idea holds!
The book:
Design Approach:
Because of the article’s emphasis on care, reciprocity, and partnership, I aimed for a layout that felt similar, opting for a less clinical approach and a more conversational overall tone.
The structure gives room to both text and image, allowing each to breathe and support the other. It highlights pull quotes from the passage that I felt best illuminated the author’s main point. I use the opposing colors cyan and magenta, to add contrast to text in the article that speaks to either “working on” (magenta) or “working with” (cyan). My favorite page is the one with the two opposing quotes, as it really gets at the heart of the whole piece in one clear graphic.
No, it’s not final. So, no, it’s not kerned. No, the placeholder text isn’t cleaned up and the spacing isn’t perfect. Yes, I’m still proud of it! Sometimes the idea is the best part and not the execution. This one stuck with me for some reason.