Hinter dem Wort »Raumplanung« versteckt sich eine planerische Arbeit mit oft weitreichenden, für Einzelne mitunter einschneidenden Konsequenzen. Die Abteilung Raumplanung und Baurecht vom Amt der Vorarlberger Landesregierung möchte das Interesse und Verständnis für Raumplanung und Regionalentwicklung bei Interessierten und Verantwortlichen wecken und stärken. Im Rahmen eines Wettbebwebs präsentierte das Atelier Andrea Gassner eine Strategie, die mit verschiedenen Medien operiert: das Jahresjournal zur Themensetzung, verknüpft mit vertiefenden Fachdiskursen sowie einer Wanderausstellung auf groß dimensionierten Litfaßsäulen für eine kooperative Öffentlichkeitsarbeit in einzelnen Gemeinden. Das Jahresjournal ist als Fachmedium konzipiert und verfolgt ein Thema über zwei Jahre. Die beiden Journale ergänzen sich. Das erste Heft erscheint jeweils im Herbst und öffnet den planerischen Blick, das zweite folgt im Frühjahr und lenkt den Fokus im Sinne des »best practice« auf die Vorarlberger Gemeinden und Regionen. Mit den parallel dazu durchgeführten Planerwerkstätten und Foren wird das Thema in einem anderen, dialogischen Format aufgegriffen. Das Atelier Andrea Gassner gestaltet Magazine die gerne in die Hand genommen, gerne angeschaut werden und immer wieder verleiten, in die Tiefe der Texte zu tauchen. Das hohes Level in der Gestaltung textlastiger und komplexer Inhalte kommt nicht von ungefähr. Dahinter verbergen sich eine große Erfahrung in der bibliophilen Gestaltung anspruchsvoller Buchwerke und die konsequente Befassung mit den jeweiligen Inhalten. Schon der Bedruckstoff und die Bindeart unterscheidet das Jahresjournal von üblichen Drucksachen. Die im Basiskonzept festgelegten Vorgaben für Cover, Rubrikseiten, Ein- und Ausstiegsszenarien sorgen für den erwünschten Spannungsbogen. Typografie, Satzspiegel und Bildraster folgen dem Anspruch guter Lesbarkeit und Übersichtlichkeit. Ein besonderer Part ist die kommunikative Nutzung von Kartografie, Orthofotos, Diagramm- und Erklärgrafiken sowie der bildlichen Darstellung. Dazu zählt das redaktionelle Fotobriefing und, für einzelnen Themen, die fotografische Umsetzung selbst.

The poster LICHT (LIGHT) was made in the context of the scenographic exhibition for the regional craft cooperative in the Werkraumhaus (architect Peter Zumthor), which we also designed. Light is first revealed by shadow. As key visual for the exhibition and as 3D facade lettering, Andrea Gassner’s graphical interpretation of this statement follows this principle consistently. The lettering visible at the top is back-to-front and upside-down. It is the shadows cast that first make LICHT legible.

In accordance with the purpose for which it was founded the DBU (Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt/German Federal Environmental Foundation) subsidises innovative, environmentally conscious, model building projects. The concept for the subsidies also includes financing scientific studies of the respective projects and disseminating these in quality book form. Atelier Gassner was commissioned to devise a concept for an edition consisting of several volumes. The first publication documents the new building for Schmuttertal Gymnasium (high-school): here innovative educational ideas and a participative approach to planning produce unusual spatial systems, ambitious ecological goals direct the construction, and functionality and inspiration shape the architecture. Client and subsidy provider, users and planners, experts for building law and technical services document the creation of this building, augmented by plans and photographs. The editions were deliberately published in German, and the search for a name led to the striking and yet self-explanatory term “Bauband” (literally “building volume”). The challenge was how best to describe and depict complex contents so that they are clearly legible and can be quickly understood. At the same time this book was not intended to be a standard illustrated architectural volume nor a dry treatise with a preponderance of text. Using the tools provided by micro and macro typographical design and making considerable demands on editorial photography the narrative requirements could be successfully met. The plans and diagrams, which were produced especially for this book, provide in-depth information. Through the format alone, the easy to open “Swiss brochure” and the stable card binding, the book suggests a report with the character of a working folder. A colour, which differs from volume to volume, contrasts with the restrained grey that is used for the covers of all the volumes. This striking coloured framework for the book block is reflected in completely coloured pages that separate the chapters and visibly articulate the contents and, when one looks at the cut edge of the closed book, appear like inserted “floor levels”.

This book is more than just a corporate publishing project. On a total of 288 pages it not only shows the exciting results of work carried out over the last 20 years but also presents in a highly impressive way the paths and processes that led to these results. The book describes the work of the Atelier, which has achieved recognition beyond the region, along with the design approaches taken and the consistent orientation on the contents and the communication aims. The 15 projects presented illustrate spatial and graphic design that focuses on applied communication – book design and scenography, signage and facade graphics. The book itself is a testimony to the creative work. The cover recalls a concrete façade graphic design on the theme of skin and surface and surprises our perception in that it shows what first becomes visible through the relationship between two different surfaces. The challenge of presenting the medium book in a book is successfully met by, on the one hand, placing the illustrations on the pages almost as facsimiles so that, for the viewer, a further interference between reality and representation develops. On the other hand the “filmic” sequence of the wrap and the dramaturgy of the book’s design are shown at a single glance in miniature illustrations. The descriptions provide information about the various design approaches taken by the team, about interesting sources, and about different ways of engaging with the creative process. Alberto Alessi, Walter Bohatsch, Köbi Gantenbein, Otto Kapfinger and Roland Jörg wrote the accompanying texts. Architect Alberto Alessi writes in his essay: “The work of Atelier Gassner is a demonstration of this deeper spatial perception. The goal of their work is to convey a value and not just formal results.”