Standards Manual is pleased to announce their tenth title: QSL? (Do You Confirm Receipt of My Transmission?), a collection of over 150 “QSL cards”, showcasing the often overlooked visual history of amateur, or “ham”, radio. Archived from the collection of designer Roger Bova, the cards reveal a rich typographic expression that is rare in their authenticity—each card a personal reflection of the station’s operator.

A topic mostly unknown to those outside of the amateur radio community, QSL cards represent a time in global communication before the Internet age, yet distinctly remind us of the social media “handles” used today. Each card prominently displays a typographic “call sign” on the front, often followed by technical “contact data” on the verso. Produced by the radio operators themselves (or local print shop), the results are broad in approach—some minimal, others maximal, hand-drawn, photographic, or a hybrid of media.

QSL? is now available.

 


On May 30th, 2020, SpaceX will launched two NASA astronauts to the International Space Station aboard a Crew Dragon spacecraft atop a Falcon 9 rocket. Painted on the side of that rocket in NASA Red (PMS 179) was be the iconic NASA insignia—nicknamed “the worm”—designed by Danne & Blackburn in 1975, and rescinded by NASA in 1992. The worm is back—and our latest title, The Worm, is now available.

We dove deep into NASA’s image libraries to review tens of thousands of images that featured the worm. The resulting collection in The Worm showcases over 300 of these images, along with their official NASA captions, dating between 1975 and 1992. Together, these images demonstrate not only the extent to which Danne & Blackburn’s 1975 NASA Graphic Program had been implemented before being rescinded in 1992, but also the incredible achievements by NASA personnel.

The final chapter of The Worm will be completed after SpaceX Demo-2 mission is complete, using NASA photos from the historic launch (with the same worm-only criteria). The Worm will ship in October, 2020.


We’re pleased to announce our latest Standards Manual title, available for pre-order: Identity: Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv. The monograph presents 60 years of work from the seminal New York design firm founded by Ivan Chermayeff and Tom Geismar in 1957, and their partner and designer Sagi Haviv. Together, they have created identities that have become icons of American culture, including the Chase Bank octagon, the NBC peacock, the PBS faces, the red Mobil O, the Smithsonian sun, and many more. For Identity, these trademarks are treated as longer case studies with sketches, documentation of applications, and related materials to provide a more in-depth understanding of the work. Additionally, the book presents interviews with each of the firm’s partners, as well as written contributions from John Maeda, Milton Glaser, and more.

Recent press includes:
Creative Review
Fast Co. Design
It’s Nice That

Identity: Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv will be released in May 2018, and is available for pre-order from our online shop.


We are pleased to offer a new, limited edition print in collaboration with filmmaker and photographer Gary Hustwit: a stunning original black and white photograph of Massimo Vignelli, shot by Hustwit in 2013. This archival pigment print showcases Massimo in his home, working alongside his personal copy of the NYCTA Graphics Standards Manual. Hustwit was invited to spend the day with Massimo and his wife Lella, “a day in the life thing,” as he recalled. “This was about a year before he passed away, and at this point he was his usual, charismatic self.” We are excited to share this intimate portrait as an homage to the legendary designer, who continues to influence the world of graphic design with his pioneering works and ingenious design philosophies. Each print from this edition of 50 copies is numbered and signed by Gary Hustwit, and they are available to purchase exclusively from our online shop.

Vignelli and the Standards Manual

Photographer: Gary Hustwit
Print type: Archival pigment 
Paper: Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Baryta 325gsm
Sheet size: 11" × 17" / 279 × 432 mm 
Image size: 10.5" × 16.5" / 267 × 419 mm
Publication: 2017


Earlier this year we opened our bookstore in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, where we sell a carefully selected collection of graphic design books that range from newly published monographs to rare vintage classics. We aim to provide a thoughtful selection that is relevant to young and seasoned designers alike. At a time when PDFs are more ubiquitous than printed books, we think it’s important to preserve the physical space where like-minded people can gather and explore new ideas.

After witnessing enthusiasm for the bookstore from the international design community, we decided to make our offerings available to purchase in the Standards Manual online shop. We think good design should be available to everyone, regardless of location.

A rotating stock of titles are currently available from some of the best publishers around, including:

Abrams Books
Harper Collins
Lars Müller Publishers
Laurence King
Niggli Verlag
Phaidon
Princeton Architectural Press
Taschen
Unit Editions
and many more.

If you’re in Greenpoint, we’d love for you to stop by to say hello and browse the books — and for those who live elsewhere, we’re open to suggestions of titles you’d like us to stock.


We are pleased to announce the official release of the EPA Graphic Standards System. Since the Kickstarter campaign in April, we’ve been hard at work to produce the book, which is easily the most complicated title we’ve published.

After its founding in 1970, the EPA quickly became a vital nation-wide environmental agency — but their graphic design and communications strategies were lacking, resulting in millions of dollars being wasted annually. Chermayeff & Geismar Associates (now Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv) set about to solve this issue by designing a detailed and thoughtful system to employ consistent standards of design throughout the agency. Now, their EPA Graphic Standards System is available as a faithful reissue, printed at the same size as the original, and employing the original vibrant Pantone inks.

The book also includes a foreword and introduction by designers Tom Geismar and Steff Geissbühler, an essay by Christopher Bonanos, and 48 pages of photographs from the EPA-commissioned Documerica Project (1970-1977).

The EPA Graphic Standards System is available to order here.


We’re excited to announce the official release of our newest title, New York City Transit Authority: Objects, featuring photographs by Brian Kelley. This catalogue of objects sourced and documented by Kelley is the first of its kind — presenting a previously uncollated archive of New York’s historic subway system through a unique array of over 400 artifacts.

“Kelley’s acquired objects tell a greater story of New York City’s past. For him, The NYCTA Project remains a photography experiment and self-funded hobby, archiving the culture of his home city. For the rest of us, it’s an intimate view of the city’s history, merging design and infrastructure over the past 150 years.”
— Eric Greene, Columbia University

Recent press includes:
It’s Nice That
The Verge
Fast Co. Design
Curbed New York

Objects is available to order from our website, or in-person from the Standards Manual book store.


 


We are pleased to share that the Standards Manual bookstore is now open to the public. As part of our new design office, Order, in Greenpoint, the bookstore showcases not only our own publications, but also a hand-picked selection of new and vintage books from a variety of publishers, including Unit Editions, Phaidon, Taschen, Laurence King, and many more. Our collection focuses exclusively on graphic design titles, making us (we believe) the only graphic design bookstore in New York.

Recent press includes:
Design Milk
Architect’s Newspaper
Bedford + Bowery
Fast Co

Standards Manual bookstore is open Monday-Friday 10am–6pm; Saturday 12pm–6pm.

Learn more

 


We’re thrilled to announce our fourth title, The EPA Graphic Standards System reissue. Designed in 1977 by Ivan Chermayeff, Tom Geismar, and Steff Geissbuhler, the manual details a customized system created to unify the federal program’s communications across hundreds of offices. This manual beautifully encapsulates the role design has played in advancing federal programs for public good.

This facsimile reprint will include every page of the original EPA Graphic Standards System, as well as a foreword by designer Tom Geismar, a historical essay by Christopher Bonanos, and 48 photographs from the EPA-commissioned Documerica project. Each copy will be protected in a custom made slipcase, built from recycled board and blind embossed with the EPA logo.

The book is currently being available on Kickstarter and will start shipping October 2017.


On May 3, 2016, Strand bookstore in New York organized a talk between Richard Danne, designer of the NASA Standards Manual, and Pentagram partner Michael Bierut.

The sold out event was a fantastic insight into Danne’s creative process and the difficult time he had after the NASA “worm” logo was rescinded in 1992. 

If you were unable to make it to the event (or even if you were), you can now watch the full video here.


We’re very happy to announce our third title, a facsimile reprint of the The American Revolution Bicentennial symbol graphics standards manual.

The American Revolution Bicentennial (ARB) symbol was the logo for America’s 200th birthday, and a precursor to the NASA logo that Bruce Blackburn would design a couple of years later.

The long-forgotten manual is now available as a perfect facsimile of the original, wrapped in a black blind embossed dust jacket, and features a foreword by Bruce Blackburn and an essay by New York magazine’s Christopher Bonanos.

Check out the book and get more information here.


We’re on press in Minnesota for our next book.

Stay tuned for more information on this title which will be a slight departure in format for us. The prints are looking amazing and we’re super excited to share it with you.

Hint: Fourth of July…


We’re wrapping up the 2nd printing of the NASA and NYCTA book here in Verona, Italy. 

It’s a pleasure to work with such talented and detail orientated printers. It’s amazing to see the care that goes into each stage of the printing process, from the digital files to the finished sheets.