der Neubau der Allgemeinen Gewerbeschule Basel

The Basel School of Design built itself a new building in 1962. They then made this book about it. That seems reasonable. Someday when we build ourselves a new building we’ll probably make a book about it. No doubt we’ll think something like, “If we publish a book about our building, sales will probably cover the cost of construction.” That’s how we think about most things: Can’t pay for it? Make a book and sell it to cover the costs. (It never works.) Anyway, loaded with striking black and white photos, ending with lists of the school’s directors, employees, and faculty for the 1961–62 school year. You’ll see names like Theo Ballmer, Walter Bodmer, Donald Brun, Robert Büchler, Johannes Burla, Theo Elbe, Kurt Hauert, Andreas His, Armin Hofmann, Hans Meier, Enzo Rösli, and Emil Ruder. The following year the school would publish this. Not bad: A building and a magazine. Maybe that’s the right approach: Publish a magazine to pay for a building, not a book.