In 1982, French design collective Grapus was commissioned by Maisons de la Culture in La Rochelle to strengthen communication between the local cultural institutions and residents. Grapus suggested this project should also help to bring residents in contact with each other. In the publication ZUP! L’album de famille, concept, implementation and purpose are highly entangled. The designers visited residents of all ages, asking them: ‘What does happiness mean to you?’ Each page is a visual response to one of these encounters and, like the residents themselves, has a unique tone of voice and style. At the same time, the book as a whole comes out of a common project. This book with all its intertwined properties was created because the designer took on the role of author.
L
