“The Alps act as a natural border between distinct design philosophies. North of the Alps, the ‘cool modernism’ of Switzerland and the Netherlands with clean lines, minimalism, and precision. South, Italy’s design brings warmth, flair, and emotional depth, blending modernist principles with expressive creativity and a rich artistic heritage.

As someone who frequently crosses the Alps to teach in Urbino, I deeply appreciate Italy’s design culture. While my practice is rooted in northern principles, I find the dialogue between these design worlds inspiring and productive. The pages here are a conversation between myself and Roberta Antinolfi, an ISIA student and collaborator at my studio in Amsterdam.

The Alps are both the subject and object of our investigation. We deconstruct pages 208–209 of Herbert Bayer’s World Geo-Graphic Atlas (1953): the first spread reconstructs the original, the second reinterprets it in Weingart’s spirit, and the third evokes 21st-century digital mapping techniques.”
– Joost Grootens