Urban On My Tongue is a book that explores the rich linguistic landscape of urban South Africa. The book needed to reflect the urban culture of South Africa, a culture that is rich and layered. We also wanted the book to feel archival.

Taking cues from the book photography and general urban landscape, we brought in the graffiti aspect through handwritten fonts and annotations. We balanced these elements with a structured grid, clean body copy font and ample breathing space. The book focuses on 3 South African provinces, each chapter colour-coded to aid navigation. Additionally, colour tabs along the page edge provide easy chapter tracking for the reader.

We designed a book that creates an immersive reader experience, providing a deeper understanding of the South African urban landscape through all its elements, from the text, photography and visual design elements.