Slow It Down: In Praise Of Wondering, A Manifesto
Zhenyu Zhou
We live in an age where attention is being plundered, and we are getting busier but have less time for ourselves. I want to advocate a new way of life from a designer’s perspective by slowing down the pace to free people from such distractions, enjoy life and bring new possibilities to design. I coined the methodology “slow appreciation,” representing “a subjective willingness, a spontaneous desire of the person to focus, slow down, and feel the time.”
Visceral Letter Design
Walking allows me to notice my surroundings and slow down. Following the observation, I was able to summarize, extract, and reflect, thanks to the designer's perspective. I pulled exciting elements from the photos from walks and made them into captions, creating different forms and living letters.
Poster Series
I kept a journal to document the day’s findings. It is accompanied by a subtitle that describes the method of observation. I express the “slow manifestation” in the poster series in enhancing the interpretation of font making. To view the entire poster series, please check the link: zhenyuzhouzy.cargo.site/07-Walk-Poster-1
Thesis Book Cover
This cover was inspired by a daily occurrence: “A hazelnut knocked my head.” This adorable incident was captured and documented for poster 04 and the book cover.
Thesis Book Layout
The book is bound with accordion pages, which corresponds to the concept of walking. It also gives more flexibility to lay out the letters and pictures. I experiment with varying type sizes to “manipulate” the audience’s attention.
Thesis Book 01
Thesis Book 02