As a result of our longer-term collaborations with the editors of the Critical Spatial Practice series—Nikolaus Hirsch and Markus Miessen—we were commissioned to design a series of publications which question what, today, can be understood as a critical modality of spatial practice. We have developed a coherent visual language that presents the theoretical investigations, while at the same time highlighting works by visual artists that accompany each essay.

Looking to the text-based design of inexpensive, pocket-sized Japanese paperbacks, we developed a typographic grammar that unifies the books and also enables design flexibility based on the requirements of specific editions. Hinting at collectibility, the spine employs a trope of serial publications with the leading character spelling out the word ‘critical’ over the first eight books. Using bold typography on flat colour, the cover emphasise the thesis of each essay. The dust jacket adds another layer of meaning which allows visual artists to engage with spatial practice through image; the title becomes discrete and shifts focus to the image.