Cultural Evolution
Through a series of uniquely edited photographs, this project analyses touristic interactions with Italian monuments. The accompaning brochure highlights the features and antiquities often overlooked within these historic locations, aiming to spark greater curiosity about the spaces surrounding them—both old and new. It encourages a deeper appreciation for what has survived cultural evolution.
Italy has many historic sites, many of which have survived for centuries. At the time of their creation, they were influential structures in society, but now their importance has changed. These monuments began with a defined purpose to a ‘singular’ theocratic community, but now their purpose has diversified to encompass a global structure.
This change could be perceived as a negative consequence of the growth of modernism, characterising these monuments as ‘contaminated space’. Yet, consideration should be given to how this change, influenced by budding tourism, has become crucial to the lives of countless civilians surrounding these sites. Cultural evolution is not linear, and there is no predetermined objective. These monuments, and the people connected to them, have adapted to survive an ever-changing environment and aim to preserve the history of these sites.
This publication analysed how the purpose of Italian monuments has evolved and how people, in particular tourists, interact with these spaces. Utilising a collection of uniquely edited photographs, this publication highlighted features that are often overlooked within these historic locations. Attracting the reader’s attention, these images captured moments in time, capturing the chaos of these monuments when impacted by overcrowding, touristic ventures and technological advancements.
Inspiration was from Bruno Munari’s An Unreadable Quantrat-Print (1953), this publication played with the typical reading and book-binding structure. Questionable folds, varying paper sizes and bold colour choices were used to immerse the reader in the ‘reading process’. These choices were enacted to confuse readers and forced them to consider a reading structure outside their norm.
This publication was bound using a Coptic stitch, the use of this binding method highlighted to readers one of the many technical considerations of this project. This small detail illustrated the difficult nature of bookbinding, a common practice that is often overlooked when reading a typical novel.
The goal was for this publication would evoke a greater curiosity for architural and environmental spaces surrounding tourists, while iniating greater consideration for how humans and their spaces have evolved over time.
Inspiration was from Bruno Munari’s An Unreadable Quantrat-Print (1953), this publication played with the typical reading and book-binding structure. Questionable folds, varying paper sizes and bold colour choices were used to immerse the reader in the ‘reading process’. These choices were enacted to confuse readers and forced them to consider a reading structure outside their norm.
This publication was bound using a Coptic stitch, the use of this binding method highlighted to readers one of the many technical considerations of this project. This small detail illustrated the difficult nature of bookbinding, a common practice that is often overlooked when reading a typical novel.
The goal was for this publication would evoke a greater curiosity for architural and environmental spaces surrounding tourists, while iniating greater consideration for how humans and their spaces have evolved over time.