The Cap’m

The Preface

Last year, I was given the opportunity to visit Germany. While I was there, I had the opportunity to visit a design studio in Berlin (Kreuzberg, to be exact) that cranks out some amazing work: Neubau.



The Bio

Neubau is the brainchild of Stefan Gandl and Christoph Grünberger.  Neubau specializes in design for screen, print, video and typography.  Stefan Gandl was schooled in Austria before basing his studio in Berlin.  He first started designing as a means to cover his record and mix tape collection.  Since then, Stefan has pioneered programmable typography with such instruments as the first-ever type-synthesizer, with the help of Rob Meek.  Neubau has also created multiple typefaces, many of which are available directly from the studio.  After starting Neubau in 2001, Stefan began working on what was to become “Neubau Welt”: a collection of editable silhouettes captured from everyday objects.  The book soon became a bestseller as well as a staple for resources in the design community.   Neubau’s most recent accomplishment, one that came to pass shortly before I arrived in Berlin, was “Neubauism.” a solo exhibition at MU exclusively showcasing the studio’s work.  The exposition was opened by legendary type-design icon, Wim Crouwel.



The Visit

I prefer to let the photos above give the full explanation, so I’ll make this brief.  As I said, I was fortunate enough to spend some time with Stefan during my trip. He showed me various collections of work, bits of inspiration and his undeniable fascination with Letraset. The studio is located in the heart of Kreuzberg, a cultural center in Berlin.  After lunch at a remarkable Turkish restaurant and a walk through the Turkish market, I made my way towards the studio.  The studio is hidden within a building complex, tucked inside an urban courtyard.  I was greeted by Stefan and received a tour of the open roomed studio.  Stefan was kind enough to converse with me on a whole gambit of topics ranging from college to exhibitions to films—Stanley Kubrick was a topic that came up numerous times.  I was amazed and thrilled to find that I shared many of his inspirations and influences.



The Close

I can’t thank Stefan enough for allowing me to photograph his work, inspiration and studio.  It was truly entertaining and the visit made my trip exponentially more interesting.  The next time I’m in Berlin, I hope to stop by again.

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