Obys’ Design Books is a beautifully curated collection that celebrates design beyond the screen — a thoughtful library built for designers who crave depth, reflection, and timeless inspiration.
Obys’ Design Books — Where design lives beyond the screen
There’s something magical about holding a design book in your hands.
The weight, the texture, the silence between the pages — it reminds you that design didn’t start with pixels, and it certainly doesn’t end there.
That’s precisely what Obys’ Design Books celebrates — a curated collection of timeless titles that show design in ways the screen never could.
It’s not just a library about design. It’s a library for designers — for the curious, the nostalgic, and the ones who still believe that good design starts with reflection.
A library shaped by passion, not algorithms
Obys has handpicked each title based on how it shaped their thinking, their process, and their appreciation for the craft.
These are the books that stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page — the kind that make you stop, think, and see design a little differently.
Their collection is more than a bookshelf; it’s a quiet conversation between eras — between modern minimalism and Bauhaus rationality, between Swiss grids and New York boldness.
Together, these books tell the story of design as a living, breathing dialogue between what was, what is, and what’s yet to come.
Why this collection matters
- To learn from the masters — The best ideas often come from studying those who shaped the field.
- To move slower, see deeper — Books demand your attention in a way screens never can.
- To stay open and inspired — Every book is a window into another designer’s world.
These aren’t coffee-table trophies. They’re working tools for reflection, practice, and growth — reminders that design isn’t just about trends; it’s about timeless thinking.
Inside Obys’ Book Curation
Each title in this selection is a cornerstone of design philosophy, craftsmanship, and creativity. Together, they cover everything from typography and color theory to modernism and the emotional intelligence of aesthetics.
Here’s a glimpse into their library:
- Typography: A Manual of Design (Emil Ruder, 1967) — The Swiss legend’s systematic approach to type that defined modern graphic education.
- Aesthetic Intelligence (Pauline Brown, 2019) — A look at how taste, intuition, and emotional awareness elevate design and business alike.
- The Vignelli Canon (Massimo Vignelli, 2010) — Simple rules, timeless beauty — a master’s guide to clarity and order in design.
- Grid Systems in Graphic Design (Josef Müller-Brockmann, 1981) — The definitive book on structure, rhythm, and harmony in visual communication.
- Work for Money, Design for Love (David Airey, 2012) — A refreshing reminder that purpose matters as much as profit.
- Graphic Design Manual (Armin Hofmann, 1965) — Precision meets emotion — a Bauhaus-inspired guide to visual fundamentals.
- Interaction of Color (Josef Albers, 1963) — A hands-on exploration of how colors influence each other — and us.
- Grid Systems: Principles of Organizing Type (Kimberly Elam, 2004) — A modern take on grid theory, bridging the gap between design logic and creative expression.
- The Debate (Wim Crouwel & Jan Van Toorn, 2015) — A clash of ideologies between order and expression — a must-read for anyone who loves design discourse.
- How To… (Michael Bierut, 2015) — Real-world lessons from one of Pentagram’s finest minds — part memoir, part masterclass.
- In the Eye of the Storm: Modernism in Ukraine (Konstantin Akinsha et al., 2022) — A poignant look at Ukrainian modernism through the lens of art, identity, and resilience.
- The Art of Color (Johannes Itten, 1961) — The Bauhaus master’s exploration of emotion, perception, and harmony through color.
- Type: A Visual History of Typefaces and Graphic Styles (Alston W. Purvis et al., 2009) — A visual timeline of how type evolved through centuries of design.
- The Geometry of Type (Stephen Coles, 2013) — A deep dive into letterforms, proportions, and the invisible logic behind typography.
- The New Typography (Jan Tschichold, 1928) — A manifesto that changed everything — bold, modern, and revolutionary for its time.
- Year of Yes (Shonda Rhimes, 2015) — A reminder that creativity is as much about courage as it is about craft.
Design that outlives the digital
Obys’ Design Books is more than a tribute — it’s a statement. In a world of fleeting pixels, they’ve chosen permanence. They’ve chosen paper, ink, and patience.
For them, design isn’t just what happens on the screen — it’s what lingers beyond it.
These books hold that spirit. They inspire, educate, and remind us why we fell in love with design in the first place.
📚 Because some ideas deserve to be read, not just scrolled.
