Written by Deyan Sudjic, Vitra: The Anatomy of a Design Company tells the story of three generations behind Vitra. Driven by a strong cultural and social mission, Vitra has shaped every aspect of contemporary design, from product design to architecture.
The graphic design is shaped by the idea that the book is not a monograph, but a handbook intended to inspire today’s designers and future generations in how a design company might operate. The smaller, tactile format reinforces this quality, creating a book that is both functional and beautiful: an ethos central to Vitra itself.
Weil am Rhein, Germany, 2025
Book published by Phaidon
‘An essential account of contemporary design history’
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The cover features details of key products from Vitra’s history, highlighting the inventive production techniques pioneered by the company. The red of the Evo-C chair by Jasper Morrison is matched precisely to the chair itself, while the embossed Vitra logo on the spine echoes the mark found on the products. Chapter openers feature silhouettes of products and architectural elements, further emphasising the breadth of Vitra’s work.
The layout design is guided by Sudjic’s narrative-led chapters, interwoven with image sequences arranged in a layered, collage-like structure. This approach reflects Vitra’s multifaceted nature and its broad contribution to design.
In keeping with Vitra’s collaborative spirit, the full APFEL team contributed to the layouts, developing distinct treatments for the chapters and inserts by Iwan Baan and Karen Stein. This process is characteristic of APFEL’s practice, which evolves through shared authorship and collaboration. The design variations are unified through the use of the Diatype typeface family, set in a range of cuts including a monospace style that references instruction manuals.
Book photography: Ed Park
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