1. Research
First, we carried out research on data representation and studied how the other cities involved in the project had published similar reports.
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2. Concept
We defined a set of key rules to guide the project, starting with the visual language of the infographics. A custom Pantone inspired by Amsterdam’s red, but with a fresher tone, is used throughout the book and paired with the specific color of each SDG, giving every chapter its own distinct visual identity.
The publication is structured into two main sections: “small SDGs” and “big SDGs.” The first necessary distinction was between these two parts: to do so, we inverted the background color and the color of the infographic frames.
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3. Design
The data visualizations fall into some recurring types throughout the book. Depending on the needs of each dataset, we selected the most suitable type of visualization to make the content as clear as possible for a broad audience, while still speaking to a professional readership.
The typefaces used belong to the Grill Type family, accompanied by Atlas, a more neutral typeface suited for smaller sizes and ideal for supporting the data in the visualizations.
Another important aspect of the design involved selecting the photographs to include in the book. Most images come from Amsterdam’s public photo archive. Since the archive contains an enormous number of images, we had to establish a search method: which keywords to use and which photographers to prioritize, ensuring a consistent photographic visual language.
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4. Art Direction
We commissioned photographer Annegien van Doorn the opening pages of the chapters dedicated to the “big SDGs.” We worked together from the initial sketches, with the idea of maintaining a sustainable approach, creatively reusing certain props across multiple photographs.