Thonik: Why We Design

Reflections on the past 25 years, and speculations on the future, of graphic design

In this book, Thonik―the Amsterdam-based design collective led by lauded designers Nikki Gonnissen and Thomas Widdershoven―proposes and addresses 11 personal reasons why they design. Why do we color, organize and form the world around us, and why do we call that a profession? From the need to create impact to the search for independence; from the various blessings of systems to the need for play; this book addresses these and many other topics. Why We Design looks back on 25 years of design practice and speculates on the future of graphic design.

Thonik has designed the corporate identity of the Dutch Socialist Party and its election campaigns (for which it has received the Dutch Design Prize in 2006 and the Rotterdam Design Prize in 2007). Other clients include the municipality of Amsterdam, Amsterdam’s Public Library and Boijmans van Beuningen Museum.