A Guidebook for MAXXI Museum

When we received the invitation to the tender for the MAXXI Museum Guidebook, we knew right away what our goal should be: we had to create something that reflects MAXXI’s richness, from its architectural design, to the permanent collection, to temporary exhibitions; something that conveys both its streamlined architecture and the refined details and contents, as well as the feelings experienced when you enter the building designed by Zaha Hadid.

The format had already been defined, and we focused on the details. Starting from the font, where we paired a sans serif and a serif typeface: the MAXXI corporate font Maison for headlines and descriptions, and Miller for body copy. Then we chose to design some guidebook sections about the architecture and urban environment of the MAXXI museum as four-page inserts of smaller size at the beginning and end of the book. For the inserts, the spine and the book cover, we used two different colours: red for the Italian edition and blue for the English one.

This guidebook is a little art object in its own, streamlined, with some details that are reminiscent of the museum’s architecture, the synchrony and contrast between fluid and static elements, the juxtaposition between different shapes and materials, and the attention to detail.

"There can be no progress without an element of uncertainty and without a sensation of embarking on a journey into the unknown."

— Zaha Hadid

"You’ll be impressed by its sensuality. It’s unavoidable, you may not like it, I know many people that prefer to be in full control without being overwhelmed by their senses, but here, your senses will prevail […]"

— Mauro Covacich