Project

Crossbenching

Year

2016

Type

Location

Crossbenching is the latest outcome of our collaboration with architect and writer Markus Miessen. The design of the publication uses the graphic plan of the House of Lords as a bold visual motive through the book, introducing the parallel between political action and spatial agency.

The title of the book alludes to the non-partisan members of the House of Lords which take their name from the crossbenches, between the majority and opposition benches, where they sit in the chamber. The diagram of the crossbenches is the key graphic element of the book. Large scale fragments span both covers and dictates the fragmentation of the title. We used a condensed cut of the Monotype Grotesque, a striking sans serif font for the cover and titles that contrasts with the background image. The book is punctuated by spreads which carry forward the graphic strategy of the cover, where quotes have been laid out on contrasting extracts of the House floorplan at different scale.