Port magazine is an inter-faculty publication for all students of the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar and publishes selected student contributions once a year. Editing, organisation, design and production is all undertaken entirely by students, with a new team taking charge each year. Lena Weber and Tamara Knapp's design for the 2018 edition won them one of the most sought-after prizes for visual design.

»Being able to handle a print project from initial idea right through to completed print run was a very exciting, educational process for us«, say the budding graphic designers. »Looking after the design of Port 2018 showed us that editorial design could be very enjoyable, so we are particularly delighted to have received an ADC Nail for our first magazine.«

The concept focussed on a wealth of contrast: »We wanted to identify extremes of magazine design, and not get bogged down in a fixed layout«, Knapp explains. »It was important to us to do justice to Bauhaus-Universität Weimar students’ wide range of concepts and visions«, Weber adds. »Rather than just gathering pure content together, the magazine instead seeks to show this content in a new light using the magazine’s structure.«

This resulted in a magazine that plays with print finish, special colours, different orientations, and expressive typography. The designers deconstructed the shape of a folded magazine and developed a volume that could be read from two sides. The publication is split into a monochrome section (supplemented with a shimmering silver special colour) and a colour section designed and printed with coloured paper and accent colours. An infographic in the form of a poster has also been incorporated into the middle of the magazine.

This also impressed the judging panel, who said of their decision: »Port opens the doors to students’ daily routines. [...] As you read and browse, you feel like you are truly among the students.« 

The ADC contest is one of the most notable competitions for visual design and Germany’s top creative competition. Recognition from the ADC is one of the top awards in the advertising industry. This competition for young talent is aimed at students of creative subjects at universities and colleges.

The Port team received expert support from artistic staff member Ricarda Löser (Ph.D.) from the Visuelle Kommunikation degree programme at the Faculty of Art and Design. The interdisciplinary publication is funded by various Bauhaus-Universität Weimar funds and by faculty resources.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Romy Weinhold, Press and PR Manager for the Faculty of Design, on +49 (0) 36 43 / 58 11 86 or by email to romy.weinhold[at]uni-weimar.de.