The PROJECT

Dante’s Inferno is the story of a descent and journey through the various layers of hell. The challenge of this project was to create a book design and layout that would allow readers to experience the journey as they read through the story’s text.

The STRATEGY

This project’s leading concept is based on creating a physical representation of the landscape Dante describes in the epic poem. Research was conducted to identify various architectural features, patterns, and symbols commonly used in ancient Rome, allowing for an authentic portrayal of Dante’s epic poem.

The resulting design allows the reader to experience Dante’s journey firsthand, physically manifested through a series of circles cut into the book’s pages. Special attention was paid to paper stock, with translucent vellum used on the first few pages of the text to reflect the misty haze first encountered when the narrator is lost in the woods. The journey continues through the descent of concentric rings before the reader finally emerges into the living world surrounded by stars.