The buildings of 26 prolific architects are transformed into letters of the alphabet in this series of detailed illustrations by graphic designer Federico Babina.
Entitled Archibet, the collection of images works its way though the alphabet from A to Z, so that each character is represented by an architect whose name starts (or ends) with the same letter.
Federico Babina started with Alvar Aalto's Riolo Parish Church, before working his way thorough an assortment of buildings that include Walter Gropius' Bauhaus school, Louis Kahn's Phillips Exeter Academy Library and Mies van der Rohe's Barcelona Pavilion.
The series concludes with Zaha Hadid's Library and Learning Centre in Vienna, but also features Jørn Utzon's Sydney Opera House, Oscar Niemeyer's National Congress of Brazil and Gerrit Rietveld's Schröder House.
As well as producing individual images for each letter, Babina has compiled all 26 into a single poster image to create street scenes made up of groups of letters.
"The idea was to build a small microcosm of imaginary architecture on realistic foundations," the designer told Dezeen.
"Each letter is a small surrealist building that becomes part of an imaginary city made up of different shapes and styles, all speaking the same language of architecture," he added.
Babina created the images using a mixture of different techniques, from hand-drawing to 3D computer modelling.
"When I create the illustrations I always use a collage of different techniques and programs," he said. "These different ingredients allow me to achieve the desired atmosphere."
According to Babina, the most challenging part of the process was choosing which architects to feature.
"The choice was often guided by an inspiration rather than the importance of the architect," he explained. "Many letters may be represented by other designers, but I chose the ones that best represented my imaginary."
This is the second illustration project by the designer that borrows imagery from famous architects and buildings. Last year he created a series of pictures that depicted architects and their buildings like vintage video game characters.
Here's a short description from Federico Babina:
Archibet
An alphabet is a standard set of letters which is used to write one or more languages based on the general principle that the letters represent phonemes of the spoken language.
Architecture is an "international language", a system of communication. Its complex structure affords a wider range of possible expressions and uses.
The idea on which the Archibet project is based is to find a way to express through 26 illustrations the heterogeneity of forms and styles that make up the architecture.
Each letter is drawn according to the interpretation of an architect's style. Each letter is a small surrealist architecture that becomes part of an imaginary city made up of different shapes and styles that speak the same language of architecture.
http://www.dezeen.com/2014/01/09/archibet-federico-babina-illustrated-alphabet-of-architects/
