A Book Design Rooted in the Himalayas
When Himalayan Humanities approached Unmatched Graphics with the project Suspended Beliefs, we knew this was more than just a design task—it was a chance to visually interpret a powerful narrative woven through the landscapes, people, and philosophies of the Indian Himalayas. The book, a collaborative academic and cultural effort, explores grounded ways of knowing and co-creating futures in Himalayan societies. Our role was to redesign the entire book—from the cover to the internal layout—with an aesthetic that balances scholarly depth and visual appeal.
Himalayan Humanities is an interdisciplinary initiative that bridges research, storytelling, and lived experiences across the Himalayan region. Their team, a mix of researchers, authors, and community practitioners, came to us with an incredible manuscript but needed a fresh visual identity for the publication that would resonate across both academic and public audiences. From the first conversation, their clarity about the project’s emotional and cultural core inspired us. They wanted the design to reflect resilience, interconnection, and elevation—both literal and metaphorical. And that became our north star for this project.
The cover of Beliefs of Uttarakhand was designed around suspension bridges of Uttatakhand - elegant metaphor for connection, fragility, and strength. Spanning across valleys and terrains, the bridge visually symbolized the crossing of ideas, generations, and geographies. We chose a muted Himalayan palette: misty greens, earthy blacks, and soft gradients to evoke both tranquility and depth. Silhouetted figures walking the bridge added a human scale to the vastness of the landscape, reminding the reader that all grand stories begin with individuals. The typography was kept sharp and minimal, using clean sans-serif fonts for clarity and sophistication, aligning with the book’s academic nature.
← Back to All Projects