Everyday

Architecture

For our third collaboration with Kenneth Moffett, co founder of the award-winning Tennessee architecture and planning firm BullockSmith, we created the visual identity for his book Everyday Architecture: A Vast Wasteland. The book’s essence is encapsulated in a Bill Bryson’s quote: “We used to built civilizations. Now we build shopping malls.”

Our task was to visually express the uniformity, unification, and cheapness that define the built environments we navigate daily. Most of what we see isn’t grand architectural landmarks but rather ordinary structures—houses, pharmacies, gas stations, snack bars, schools. Ironically, these are the spaces where life happens, yet they receive the least attention in terms of design, effort, and creativity.

As we explored the book’s themes, we realized that its core message—the paradox of modern architecture and the depersonalization of cities—had to be at the heart of our design approach.

The first element that emerged was the cover, featuring a radically simplified, almost generic house icon. A faceless, characterless form. This stark symbol became the foundation of the entire visual identity.

We then incorporated sketches drawn by the author, reducing them to their most primitive shapes—bland, monotonous structures that fail to integrate with their surroundings. These forms mirror the shopping malls, gas stations, and pharmacies that dominate contemporary urban landscapes, struggling to find their place.

This book left a profound impression on us. It made us reflect on the direction humanity is heading—not just in architecture but across industries. It reinforced our own mission: to create design that is distinctive, meaningful, and alive—beyond trends, beyond standardization.