JAMES K.M. CHENG X WESTBANK SAN JOSE COLLECTION

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JAMES K.M. CHENG ARCHITECTS X WESTBANK SAN JOSE COLLECTION

The Orchard

Branding, Book Design, Copywriting & Production

Each book in this limited edition set represents the unique perspective of an internationally acclaimed architect for the San Jose sustainability renewal initiative. Custom printed linen covers and the individually unique layout design of each book expresses not only the innovative architecture but the spirit and harmony created by its respect for nature. The collection is an anthology of beauty and purpose in design.

Once called “Valley of Heart’s Delight,” San Jose was once speckled with abundant fruit orchards. Two centuries later, San Jose is a sprawling urban environment. James K.M. Cheng’s The Orchard will reintroduce fruit trees to downtown San Jose by means of a lush vertical orchard planted with over 1,000 trees that form the facade of the buildings which are lined with thriving greenery.

Inspired by the citrus orchards that lend the project its name, golden-orange is prominently featured throughout The Orchard book. The symbolic colour is flooded across the book's linen wrap, edge painted onto its sides and printed throughout its interior pages. Historic photographs taken at the turn of the 20th century paint a vibrant picture of the pastoral beauty that once defined the Santa Clara Valley—a natural beauty that The Orchard will restore.

The offset layouts featured throughout the book are a reflection of The Orchard's gridded facade of staggered terraces. Paragraphs of text and images are layered in asymmetrical formations, creating a considered balance of white space and visual information that echoes The Orchards architecture. The layouts allow the rich history of the Santa Clara Valley to flow seamlessly with James K.M. Cheng's contemporary vision for the new building, inviting the reader to reimagine the future of San Jose and welcome nature back into the city.