toy lexicon
brief
A book exploring the aesthetics of construction kits from the last 100 years. My father photographed his collection with the help of two friends and asked me to make it into a book.
Since images were taken over years with missing data, I built a custom CMS for collaborative editing into a central JSON database. This then feeds into an InDesign ExtendScript for automated layout.
specifications
Year
2025-Ongoing
For
My father
Type
Book Layout / Web App
Format
Hardcover Book, 120+ pages
idea
My father has been collecting and building with old construction kits for decades. When he asked me to help turn his collection into a book, I saw an opportunity to combine my design skills with his passion project.
credits
Models and Curation
Peter Leutenegger
Photography
Alex Colle
Collages
Kurt Kleinert
Layout and CMS
Till Solenthaler
AI Declaration
Claude Code for co-programming CMS and InDesign ExtendScript
process
01. COVER DESIGNDesigned the cover first, experimenting with layouts and typography to set the tone. Defined a grid system for consistent layout throughout.
02. RESEARCH AND CATALOGINGUsed reference books for inspiration. Created a JSON database of all kits with manufacturer, country and title for InDesign import. Found lots of missing data.
03. CMS FOR CONTENTBuilt a custom CMS so my father and his friends could easily add, edit and organize content without technical knowledge.
04. INDESIGN AUTOMATIONDeveloped an InDesign ExtendScript to automatically layout content from JSON using labeled template fields. This enables quick generation of consistent layouts for refinement.
05. ITERATE AND REFINEContinuous feedback loops with my father to adjust layouts, fix data issues, and improve the visual presentation until ready for print.
indexabout