O Livro Amarelo do Terminal

Discipline: Book design
Format: Book
Design firm: Cosac Naify
Designers: Elaine Ramos, Maria Carolina Sampaio
Production coordinator: Letícia Mendes
Author: Vanessa Barbara
Editor: Cassiano Elek Machado
Printer: Geográfica
Pages: 256
Quantity printed: 3,000
Typefaces: Interstate, Mercury
Publisher: Cosac Naify
Papers: APG, yellow, 50 gsm, text; carbonless paper CFB, white, 53 gsm, text; MF, purple, 86 gsm (endpapers); Copel cardboard, yellow, 240 gsm (cover)

This book is about one of the biggest bus stations in the world, the Terminal Rodoviário Tietê in São Paulo. Structured in a totally unconventional way, the narrative is constructed from a collage of the uncountable voices that circulate inside the station—from the testimonies of travelers and station workers to loudspeakers, songs, newspaper and magazines headlines, warning signs and so on.

The design takes advantage of the combination of heavy and geometric elements (inspired by the sign systems and bus painting) with the dirty and random results of photocopy and paper transparency—a contrast that evokes the station itself, a functional framework amid the chaos of the crowd in transit. The lines on the front and back of the lightweight paper intercalate positions, suggesting the movement of coming and going. This results in a dirty and chaotic aspect but avoids making the reading too difficult. The yellow paper, which inspired the title of the book, refers to the travel tickets and cheap leaflets that circulate in the bus station. The cover is also a collage of tickets, newspaper cutouts and graphic elements.

Juror Notes
The interior is kinetic and full of life despite only one color.