Klaus Maunuksela's fiction book, Manuaali (Manual), published by the publishing company Kosmos and designed by Viivi Prokofjev, has been named the most beautiful book of 2022 by the Finnish Book Art Committee. The book is functional and pleasant to hold, with its round corners and small size, and its design elements serve and surprise the reader, such as the blurred pages and a manual-style appendix.
The book is part of the "Beautiful Books 2022" collection, which consists of 27 books across six categories, including fiction, non-fiction, art and photography, children's and young adult literature, comics, and special books.
The Beautiful Books 2022 collection is an annual event organized by the Finnish Book Art Committee, aiming to promote the quality of Finnish book design and printing. In addition to Manuaali's recognition, the committee also awarded 11 successful covers.
The committee also highlighted the environmental benefits of paper as a circular product, where 90% of the collected household paper in Finland is recycled. In contrast, the digital world's energy demand for devices and infrastructure continues to grow, contributing to increased emissions. The carbon footprint of the internet and its supporting systems is already greater than that of air travel, and it is projected to increase to a fifth of the world's total energy consumption by the end of the decade. The paper and printing industry accounts for only 1% of the EU's greenhouse gas emissions.
The Beautiful Books 2022 collection will be exhibited in various galleries across Finland and Europe. The books will also participate in the "Best Book Design from All over the World" competition in January 2024. In related news, Polina Joffe's art book Ode to Construction - Abstraction in the Digital Age, published by Onomatopee Projects and designed by Polina Joffe, won a bronze medal in the same competition.
HT
