How do you celebrate your 50th birthday? is a question that’s been on my mind as I prepare to exit my forties. Maybe a big party with lots of food and an iPhoto-esque slideshow of my “greatest hits” going back to Halloween costumes in elementary school, bizarre hair styles from my teens, up to and including high school and college graduations, plus marriage, my own children, and holiday memories.
Or why not encapsulate five decades into one big, hulking 10.5-pound book—two books, to be exact—just like Pentagram did to celebrate its 50th. Pentagram: Living by Design, published by Unit Editions this fall ($224), is neither as entertaining nor as awkward as my own 50 years have been. In all seriousness though, what Pentagram has produced with Unit Editions is a testament to what makes its design business unique and successful: The book is comprehensive and highly functional, and packaged into a tidy slipcase that makes Living by Design a standout on any bookshelf.
Pentagram is neither a branding agency nor a branding business, but a “design business,” as partner Natasha Jen explains. Pentagram was founded in 1972 by five principal members, The First Five: architect Theo Crosby; graphic designers Alan Fletcher, Colin Forbes, and Mervyn Kurlansky; and industrial designer Kenneth Grange. The name Pentagram immortalized those first five partners, and what they created paved the way for decades to come, with subsequent partners contributing in their own way to the collective success of the business.
Although founded in London, Pentagram quickly became an international company, according to Adrian Shaughnessy of Unit Editions, who played a big role in producing Living by Design. During our conversation about the book, Shaughnessy referenced Pentagram cofounder Colin Forbes, who helped lay the foundation for the company’s structure. “Other businesses,” Shaughnessy explains, “may disappear after their founding partner or partners die. Pentagram has been consistent and ongoing.”
Pentagram was never about one or even just two decades of a business—it was designed to be around for the long haul. “The challenge is to run what we believe to be an excellent design-driven firm into a second generation,” wrote Forbes, who went on to explain, “Pentagram’s constitution is based on the equality of its partners. Although we are incorporated, we use the term ‘partners’ because that conveys the spirit of the relationship.” At 50, they have certainly succeeded, proven themselves time and time again, with Living by Design the perfect way to celebrate.
“With the book, our goal was to create an artifact that not just encapsulates the 50 years of history, but opens up a window to the next 50 years,” she says. Jen, who joined Pentagram’s New York office in April 2012 as a partner, suggested that the company’s longevity almost had to be celebrated in a book, which showcases the business and its partners, as well as the work they do. “Clients naturally supported the book and were thrilled,” says Jen.
Pentagram approached Shaughnessy and Unit Editions‘ cofounder Tony Brook in 2017 because of their dedication to high-quality design and production. “They liked the book that we did with Paula Scher,” says Brook, “and were looking for a way to mark 50 years, their 50th anniversary.” Various book formats, sizes, and styles were discussed for Pentagram’s book. What Brook, Shaughnessy, and Pentagram landed on was a two-volume format: The Biography that provides the history and backstory, and The Directory with profiles of each partner. Brook and Shaughnessy managed it all, with Shaughnessy as writer and Brook as designer. The second part features each partner, their story, and their work; and most importantly, sheds light on the collegial aspects by recognizing the members who work on each partner’s team.
With Pentagram’s 50 years of history, and a wealth of design work produced, Living by Design is as complete a look at the business as you can imagine. Make no mistake, it’s a hulking, impressive, even intimidating book that may not fit into your already crammed bookshelf. Moreover, you can find most of these images online or dig them up from one of the older, dustier Pentagram books. So who exactly is Pentagram: Living by Design intended for, and why buy it?
“We did a book because, even though it’s an old medium, it’s permanent, it’s physical,” says Jen. “The work in the book is a testament to Pentagram’s ethos. It’s a comprehensive and total view of the practice.” Living by Design recognizes each partner who succeeded those First Five, and lays the foundation for what Pentagram hopes will be many years to come.
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