This project was inspired by my desire to understand the events that occurred in Syria over the past seven years. Due to the complexity of the issue, I decided to focus on Aleppo. The format of the piece is an introduction to the topic. Learning about the Syrian Civil War is important —and can be overwhelming. The second half introduces pre-war Aleppo, as those who lived there or visited, remember it.  The smaller book of memories was stitched into the piece, and a painting of the Citadel of Aleppo is visible once the book is unfolded.

At the outset of the project I was looking for a way to integrate traditional and digital art making. I chose this particular book design because it can be transformed into a painting. The design is intended to become more chaotic as the material delves more deeply into the topic. The final small book —a required element of interest — is a nostalgic reprieve from the ongoing destruction of the war. The project was required to include a body of running text at least 2,000 words, 10 facts as separate points, 3 call-outs, 3 levels of text, 1 typographic info-graphic and 1 spread with all text.