Karlssonwilker inc.

Finding an Identity for
Calder Gardens

A publication about going from nothing to something

“Finding an Identity for Calder Gardens” traces the design process behind the visual identity of Calder Gardens, a new institution dedicated to the work of Alexander Calder in Philadelphia. Developed by the renowned New York-based design studio Karlssonwilker in collaboration with the foundation, the project unfolded in dialogue with architecture by Herzog & de Meuron and gardens by Piet Oudolf. This book gathers keynotes, visual references, design sketches and drafts, retrospective commentary and an interview with Alexander S.C. Rower, president of the Calder Foundation, conveying a rich narrative of design in progress. Providing unique insight into a contemporary design methodology, this book makes visible how complex cultural projects are conceived, tested, refined and communicated

“Finding an Identity for Calder Gardens” traces the design process behind the visual identity of Calder Gardens, a new institution dedicated to the work of Alexander Calder in Philadelphia. Developed by the renowned New York-based design studio Karlssonwilker in collaboration with the foundation, the project unfolded in dialogue with architecture by Herzog & de Meuron and gardens by Piet Oudolf. This book gathers keynotes, visual references, design sketches and drafts, retrospective commentary and an interview with Alexander S.C. Rower, president of the Calder Foundation, conveying a rich narrative of design in progress. Providing unique insight into a contemporary design methodology, this book makes visible how complex cultural projects are conceived, tested, refined and communicated

Author(s): Karlssonwilker inc.

Design: Karlssonwilker inc.

14 × 21 cm, 5 ½ × 8 ¼ in

192 pages, 249 illustrations

hardback

2026, 978-3-03778-825-7, English
CHF 35.00

Karlssonswilker inc.

KARLSSONWILKER INC. is a New York-based design studio founded in 2000 by graphic designers Jan Wilker and Hjalti Karlsson, with Vera Yuan joining as partner in 2020. The studio has developed into an internationally recognized practice operating at the intersection of concept, design and cultural inquiry. Central to the studio’s approach is an experimental, research-driven mindset: design is understood as a process of thinking, in which images, typography, sequences and systems function not only as outcomes, but as tools for reasoning and decision-making. A defining characteristic of the studio’s practice is the visibility of process. Sketches, drafts, variations and visual arguments are integral to the work, framing design as an iterative, knowledge-producing activity.