The 2022 Yearbook by Fundación Cotec
The book that talks about innovation through experimental techniques.
Art director: Francesco Maria Furno
Concept and design: Relajaelcoco
Client: Fundación Cotec
Articles: Ramiro Varela, intro by GPT3
3D Artist: Muokkaa
Illustrations: Relajaelcoco + Midjourney
Printed by: Brizzolis
Event production: Faceta Producciones
The 2022 Yearbook by Fundación Cotec is a data driven publication made artifact in which we have been experimenting with several contemporary techniques to enhance the innovative essence of the book.
01. The concept
The concept of the publication is based on two fundamental ideas. On one hand, the change of perspective based on lateral thinking as the main lever to undertake a process of innovation. On the other hand, the idea of involving the reader by making them reflect and feel involved in an active way. Because a report on innovation cannot be a piece that generates a passive attitude, but an artifact that stimulates critical thinking, participation, and the need to go beyond the established.
The historical references on which the concept of the book is based range from Leonardo da Vinci's cryptic writing, to Velazquez's change of perspective in Las Meninas, to M. C. Escher's and Hans Holbein's perspective games.
02. Experimentation
The main step of the process was to experience with several innovative techniques:
1. A 3D printing using an Anycubic Photon Mono X for the main charts.
2. GPT3 and Midjourney to create texts and images.
3. A 3D model and animation made in collaboration with Spanish artist Muokkaa.
In the following pictures you can see the 3D models, prompts and other elements we have been working with.
03. The Yearbook
The design approach is based on a contemporary vision with some retro-futuristic details where a rational, cold, and technological essence is mixed with a more humanistic approach. This is how Serif typographies with a strong personality alternate with pixel typographies and the dominance of black and white is intervened with very vibrant color distortions and gradients.
04. The event
For the presentation of the 2022 Yearbook, the final step has been an event at La Nave in Madrid, attended by the king of Spain Felipe VI and some of the Spanish authorities. Fazeta Productions has been the company in charge of adapting the design proposed in the book and applying it to the event to generate a coherent visual system and create two actions that involve the use of the mirror. The first one sees the king taking a copy of the 2022 Yearbook from a mirror cube and the second one has involved Sonsoles Moralejo, presenter of the event, on stage mirroring during the presentation.
The 2022 Cotec Report Yearbook is a key piece for talking about innovation and analyzing Spain's role in the European landscape.The Foundation invited us to design the 2022 edition, posing a challenge: to break away from the canonical format of the report and create an attractive piece that would conceptually generate a story.
We wanted the book, in addition to talking about innovation, to be an experience based on an experimental process where the research for innovative formats transformed the 2022 Yearbook into an object capable of stimulating reactions.