Alternative Futures Collection

Brief: Design a collection of book covers that work together stylistically

The Alternative Futures Collection is a selection of books, each offering a glimpse into a potential future. They question our relationship with technology and challenge our aspirations for the ideal society. However, as we immerse ourselves in these alternative realities, do they reveal the outcome that we desire?

The Machine Stops by EM Forster

This short story unfolds in a dystopian future where a city's existence revolves around and is dictated by a machine. To represent this in the design, the nuts and bolts cast a shadow that forms the silhouette of the city. As the city in the book relies on the machine to function, the shadow would not be there without the bolts.

No More Photos by Margaret Atwood

This short poem delves into the author's emotions regarding photographs of herself. She contemplates the act of documenting her existence, portraying everything, including herself, in an objective light.

The main statement, 'Surely there are no more shadows thrown by light onto pieces of tiny paper,' serves as the focal point for the design, inspiring its metaphorical representation of transferring an image onto paper.

Disappearance 1 by Jeanette Winterson

This is set in a world where sleep is illegal, people work 24-hour days and people pay to experience other people’s dreams. There is a sense of mystery, with the title in itself making you think of vanishing and the unknown. To represent this the design focuses on the abstract.

I dropped ink into water and photographed the loose forms created. The forms and shapes create a sense of ambiguity that can be interpreted differently by each individual, just as dreams are different for each person.

A Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

The book portrays a society that strives for perfection, where humans are not born naturally but instead grown in laboratories and conditioned to fulfil specific roles from birth. These roles form part of a hierarchical system designed to maximise societal efficiency. Every aspect of life, from birth to death, is meticulously planned to ensure the smooth functioning of society.

To visually represent this concept, the design process involved scanning the bottom of an old wooden jar and tracing paper to capture textures and shapes. Using Photoshop, I then incorporated these textures into the outlines of embryos, symbolising the artificial creation and control of life within the society depicted in the book.

A Different Reality

When you watch an old black-and-white film, you're transported to a time that no longer exists—a window into the past. Despite being fictional, these stories depict realities that, given the advancements in technology, don't seem too far-fetched.

When promoting this collection, this is the feeling I want to portray - the opportunity to immerse oneself in a different reality that feels just out of reach.

When looking at the promotional campaigns, it should feel like looking through an old TV screen.