Designing the Emigre Magazine Index: Theory and Practice in an Alternative Research Tool

Abstract

Emigre magazine, published from 1984–2005, is often considered a provocative example of experimental publishing, critical writing, and design authorship. Its message remains relevant today, as designers continue to question their roles and the status quo, within and beyond the discipline’s boundaries. To heighten the magazine’s visibility to scholars and a new generation of designers, this author designed a public program focused on Emigre at the Goldstein Museum of Design. The result of this research is the Emigre Magazine Index, an online finding tool that situates the contents of all sixty-nine issues, including typefaces, contributors, and their works, in an interactive context. The Index is publicly accessible and points toward, but does not reproduce, the physical magazine issues. In this paper, the theory and practice behind the project are discussed in relation to hierarchy and navigational issues, digitization challenges, and the significant role that design can play in these things.