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A-Z presents

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A-Z presents

A—Z is a new space in Berlin for experimental graphic design.

A–Z is dedicated to developing, showcasing and promoting ideas and projects in which graphic design goes beyond its boundaries and explores its more unconventional and experimental facets.

02/06/2026

Counter Session #8
Friday 12/06/26 at 19:00

Cooking Alphabettes Soup
with the publisher Nina Paim and contributors

Followed by drinks around our green bar counter
Launching in June 2026, Alphabettes Soup celebrates a decade of typographic pot-banging and community-building through the network and (dis)organization Alphabettes. Edited by Amy Papaelias and featuring articles, interviews, and lettering by more than 250 women and gender-diverse practitioners from around the world, the book is a collective feast that challenges dominant narratives and imagines more decentralized futures for design networks. In this event, publisher Nina Paim is joined by the editor Amy Papaelias and contributors Carolina Giovagnoli, Sol Matas, Tanya George, and Zainab Marvi to share stories, insights, and lessons from the book’s kitchen—and its many chefs.

.books

22/05/2026

Alphabettes from A to Z

Wednesday 27 May, 19:30 (doors open 19:00)
PrintRoom, Van Speykstraat 121, Rotterdam

Book presentations:
~Alphabettes Soup: Feminist Approaches to Type
with publisher Nina Paim and editor Amy Papaelias (online), in the company of some of the contributors
~On the Edges of Graphic Design from A—Z—∞ with Anja Lutz
Moderated by Clara Balaguer

This evening brings together two publications documenting experimental initiatives in graphic design — the online platform Alphabettes and A—Z, a space for experimental graphic design in Berlin. Both books go beyond the anthology format, looking to alternative approaches, forms, and positions in graphic design, invested in shaping its future through hands-on practice and collaboration.

Alphabettes Soup (Bikini Books, 2026) celebrates a decade of feminist approaches to type research, design, and creative community-building. It blends key articles from the Alphabettes platform with original essays, interviews with members, visual histories, and reflections on past and ongoing initiatives — challenging dominant narratives in type history and inspiring future generations to build their own decentralised design communities.

On the Edges of Graphic Design from A—Z—∞ (Set Margins, 2025) celebrates the past, present, and future of alternative graphic design through the practices and community-building experiences of a multidisciplinary and international design community at A—Z Presents, Berlin.

A Font for the Future
Workshop by Anja Lutz
Thursday 28 May, 18:30–21:30

Using contributions from On the Edges of Graphic Design from A—Z—∞ as a starting point, we’ll develop hypotheses, speculations, and visions about the future of design — then translate them into a system of signs, a simple font, and an A3 poster (digital or analog). A fun, quick-and-dirty workshop for drawing out your creative vision for future forms of communication. You’ll go home with 10 riso-printed posters.
Sign up: [email protected]
More info: printroom.org

09/05/2026

DESIGN DISCOURSE

“How can we rethink graphic design?”
Prof. Dr. Gerda Breuer in conversation with Anja Lutz

Anja Lutz is the founder and curator of the Berlin gallery A—Z Presents, which views the recently published book on A—Z Presents as a “meta-level for the ongoing exploration of alternative approaches to thinking and design in graphic design.” Gerda Breuer talks with her about what connects the graphic designer to this ambitious concept, the criteria she uses to invite guests, and what other projects she is pursuing beyond the gallery.

You can find the complete conversation (in German) at the online Design Magazine www.ddc.de/de/magazin/wie-koennen-wir-grafikdesign-weiterdenken.php

04/05/2026

Recipes for Connecting featured in the beautiful catalogue of the Porto Design Biennale, designed by João Queirós. The title of the Biennale is “TIME IS PRESENT. Designing the Common” examining the aspects: gather, heal, listen, love, play, stand and share. Each section of the book is dedicated to one of these aspects and features corresponding recipes by April Gertler, Sarah Boris, Francisca Torres, Niklaus Troxler, Kristina Wedel, Susan Ploetz, Gemma Terol, Mela Dávila Freire, Emily Smith, Maria Yin, Alex Jordan and Anne Christin Plate.

Thank you Angela Rui and Matilde Losi @ matildelosi for the careful curation of the Biennale and for including Recipes for Connecting, a project originally conceived by the A—Z Collective with the Barcelona Edition (that was featured in Porto) in collaboration with Laura Meseguer .

And thank you Daniela Burger for lending your hands.

27/04/2026

Thank you all for joining the presentation of 45 Symbols—From Clay to Code and thank you Pascal Glissmann, Andreas Henrich, Aslin Yu-Heng Lin, Raafia Jessa, Christina Möser, Mariko Takagi for sharing your insights and projects.

45 Symbols is a project that takes the Phaistos Disc as a starting point to reflect on communication systems and symbols. Spanning 12 years, and more than 500 projects, the recently published book, showcases 45 projects that used different methodologies such as hacking, mapping, speculating etc.

During this Counter Session some of these projects were presented such as: “Leving Marks: the Building as a Book“ by Christina Möser, that looks at incidental marks and signs of wear to represent St. Peters church in Cologne; “LGBTQIA+ in Taiwan by Aslin Yu-Heng Lin, who expands on exisitng chinese letters to include symbols for q***r relationships; Raafia Jessa combined lettershaps of Arabic, Urdu, Persian and Latin to create a poetic sound based set of symbols; Marika Takagi presented her student’s project that developed an every growing set of contemporary pictograms deriving from the Phaistos Disc. Pascal Glissmann and Andreas Hinrich offered that historic context and shared their experiences on the long journey of 45 Symbols.

It has been an wonderfully inspiring evening followed by equally inspiring conversations and meetings around our green bar counter. In the Catalan tradition of Sant Jordi, which is celebrated on 23 April, each book came with a rose 🌹

Photos by: Aslin Lin, , ,

(Olivier)

22/04/2026

REMINDER

Counter Session #7
Thursday 23/04/26 at 19:00
45 Symbols — Clay to Code
With the editors Olivier Arcoili, Pascal Glissmann, Andreas Henrich, and guests

Talk will be in German, some in English.

How can research, personal experiences, and complex ideas be translated into concise visual language? 45 Symbols—Clay to Code, published by Slanted Publishers in January 2026, examines how emerging artists and designers develop systematic approaches to visual language, inspired by one of the most enigmatic objects in media history: the 3,700-year-old, still-undeciphered Phaistos Disc, embossed with 45 distinct symbols. The works range from personal narratives to global themes and demonstrate how an original visual grammar can be constructed.

Over more than a decade, the internationally hosted design seminar series The Phaistos Project—Forty-five Symbols has evolved into a global community—driven by open calls, workshops, exhibitions, and risograph publications. This publication, “45 Symbols—Clay to Code”, brings together over 2,000 symbols as the result of this collaborative endeavor. It stands not only as a living archive of research inquiries, but also as a testament to collective experimentation, bold visions, and the expression of intercultural dialogue.

Guests

In this session, we will hear from three participants whose projects trace how visual language can emerge across different cultural and spatial contexts. Contributions include Aslin Yu-Heng Lin (LGBTQIA+ in Taiwan — Linguistic Architecture of Inclusion), Raafia Jessa (/’lo.kwi:/ — The Synthesis of Urdu, Persian, Arabic, and Latin: A Lexicon of Shared Sound), and Christina Möser (St. Peter — Leaving Marks: The Building as a Book).
The session will also feature reflections by Mariko Takagi, a collaborator of the project since its inception and Professor at Doshisha Women’s College of Liberal Arts, Department of Information and Media, Kyoto, Japan.

16/04/2026

Thank you for contributing to —∞ and for featuring:

On the Edges of Graphic Design from A—Z—∞

www.draw-down.com

On the Edges... traces the past, present and future of alternative graphic design at the hands of a multidisciplinary and international design community and its artistic and community-building practices at A—Z Presents, a Berlin-based space for experimental graphic design. Filled with hundreds of entries covering the wide-reaching and far-flung margins of graphic design, this book offers a definitive outlook on graphic design in the twenty-first century.

Assuming the form of an „index for alternative graphic design,“ the book offers a comprehensive view of the wide range of activities performed by a multitude of graphic designers and visual artists from diverse backgrounds, ages and career standings in the past six years.

The first section, „A—Z,“ features all the activities and events initiated by A—Z, with contributions from designers like Na Kim, Niklaus Troxler and the Rodina, and over 100 entries in between. The second part, titled „—?,“ features 32 international designers, including April Greiman, Richard Niessen, and Christopher Sleboda, envisioning the future of graphic design.

Introduction by Jason Grand, and interviews by Freek Lomme

Edited by Anja Lutz

10/04/2026

SAVE THE DATE

Counter Session #7
Thursday 23/04/26 at 19:00
45 Symbols — Clay to Code
With Olivier Arcoili, Pascal Glissmann, Andreas Henrich, and guests

Talk will be in German, slides in English.

How can research, personal experiences, and complex ideas be translated into concise visual language? 45 Symbols—Clay to Code, published by Slanted Publishers in January 2026, examines how emerging artists and designers develop systematic approaches to visual language, inspired by one of the most enigmatic objects in media history: the 3,700-year-old, still-undeciphered Phaistos Disc, embossed with 45 distinct symbols. The works range from personal narratives to global themes and demonstrate how an original visual grammar can be constructed.

Over more than a decade, the internationally hosted design seminar series The Phaistos Project—Forty-five Symbols has evolved into a global community—driven by open calls, workshops, exhibitions, and risograph publications. This publication, “45 Symbols—Clay to Code”, brings together over 2,000 symbols as the result of this collaborative endeavor. It stands not only as a living archive of research inquiries, but also as a testament to collective experimentation, bold visions, and the expression of intercultural dialogue.

Guests

In this session, we will hear from three participants whose projects trace how visual language can emerge across different cultural and spatial contexts. Contributions include Aslin Yu-Heng Lin (LGBTQIA+ in Taiwan — Linguistic Architecture of Inclusion), Raafia Jessa (/’lo.kwi:/ — The Synthesis of Urdu, Persian, Arabic, and Latin: A Lexicon of Shared Sound), and Christina Möser (St. Peter — Leaving Marks: The Building as a Book).
The session will also feature reflections by Mariko Takagi, a collaborator of the project since its inception and Professor at Doshisha Women’s College of Liberal Arts, Department of Information and Media, Kyoto, Japan.

(Olivier)

31/03/2026

Thank you all for joining us for Counter Session #7 Play the System. Heike Grebin showed various historical and contemporary examples of how form can emerge through defining runes and shaping frameworks. Paulina Mohr presented her project “The Bible. On Women” and Jens Schnitzler explained the design system behind his project “Scripted Variations”. Katharina Wanke guided through the design of the many layers and links of the book that was generated with a web-to-print process devised by Andreas Trogisch.
It was a rich and inspiring evening followed by drinks and talks and connections until late around our green bar counter.

Save the date for Counter Session #7 on 24 April.

Photos by: Katharina Wanke, Liudmila Savelyeva, Anja Lutz, Heike Grebin

25/03/2026

TOMORROW
Thursday 26/03/26 at 19:00
Counter Session #6
Play the System with Heike Grebin and Guests (Talk will be in German)

Design is rarely about the singular stroke of genius. It is about defining rules and shaping the framework in which form can emerge. As digital tools and algorithms shape creative practice, the designer’s role shifts — from designing individual products to developing systems.
Drawing on more than twenty years of teaching and research, and on the occasion of her book Play the System. Parametric Approaches in Graphic Design, published by Slanted Publishers, Heike Grebin reflects on design as a rule-based yet open process shaped by variation and external influences — a process that creates room for experiment and surprise.
For this evening, Heike Gregin has invited participants from the project: Together with Paulina Mohr and Jens Schnitzler, who will present their own projects, she shows how the interplay of structure and variation has shaped design for centuries — from medieval scriptoria to today’s dynamic systems. Andreas Trogisch will explain the automated layout process, that connects the web-to-print-platform with the publication. The evening will be moderated by Katharina Wanke, who accompanied the project editorially.
Play the System connects theory, teaching, and practice and and offers insight into the inspiring world of parametric design.

Heike Grebin trained as an architect before finding her way into graphic design by unconventional paths. She was a professor of communication design at HAW Hamburg, with a focus on typography, and runs the studio Troppo Design. Her teaching concentrated on typographic information systems in the context of socio-political and technological processes. She conducts research on parametric design in graphic design.

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Berlin
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Öffnungszeiten

Donnerstag	14:00 - 19:00
Freitag	14:00 - 19:00
Samstag	14:00 - 19:00

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http://a-z-presents.com/

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