Architecture and Electricity

Filip Burno’s book Architektura i elektryczność. 1880–1940. Konstruowanie, doświadczanie, reprezentacja [Architecture and Electricity: 1880–1940: Constructing, Experiencing, Representation] was published by the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw in 2025. It is a richly illustrated study of the use of electrical energy and artificial lighting in construction.

My goal was to create a graphic design for the publication that would harmonise with the presented iconography. Monochromatic archival visuals determined the black-and-white, minimalist character of the book. Yellow appears only on the cover, referencing the glow of the illuminated glass façades and building interiors. The publication contains meticulously selected photographs, architectural drawings, diagrams, and propaganda materials.

The publication has 212 pages in A5 format. I used the Pretty font by Jan Estrada-Osmycki (Tekio Foundry) in Regular, Italic, and Semibold styles. Its geometric forms correspond with the modernist architecture of the interwar period, which is the central theme of the author’s research.

The rough paper inside and the uncoated cover also refer to the characteristic features of publications from the period.