At Stoneseed Studio, we recently had the privilege of collaborating with the African Climate Reality Project (ACRP) on a project that resonates deeply with our mission as a design agency—telling powerful stories through visual experiences. This project involved designing a 224-page coffee table book that doesn’t just document facts; instead, it shares a journey through African oral traditions, climate leadership, and a decade of resilience and action by African Climate Reality Leaders (CRLs). Here’s a look at how we approached this inspiring project.
Our Design Process
Each project we take on follows a structured process that ensures consistency, clarity, and creativity at every stage. This approach supports a smooth project flow and provides our clients with clear checkpoints to ensure alignment and satisfaction. Over years of collaboration, we’ve refined this approach to deliver meaningful work tailored to each client’s vision.
Here’s an overview of our typical workflow:
- A New Client Reaches Out – Initial reach-out via email or phone.
- Client Consultation – A detailed discussion of project needs and scope.
- Statement of Work – Defining the project’s scope and specific design elements.
- Quote/Invoice Sent – Based on the signed SOW, we send a quote or invoice.
- Deposit Paid – A 50% deposit signals the start of the project.
- Welcome Pack Sent – Includes best practices, feedback guidance, and design revision processes.
- Project Kickoff – The project officially begins, and we start gathering assets and content.
- Design Phases – Two rounds of revisions follow the initial concepts.
- Final Approval & Payment – Project wraps up with final approval and payment.
For more insight into how our workflow aligns with your unique project needs, feel free to make contact with us here.
The Vision Behind ACRP’s Coffee Table Book
The African Climate Reality Project’s mission is to amplify the voices of African climate activists working towards a sustainable future. This coffee table book was envisioned as an immersive journey, blending African oral traditions with climate leadership. Through these pages, readers experience personal narratives, community efforts, and creative expressions. These elements reflect Africa’s enduring spirit in the fight against climate change.
This project was especially meaningful to Janet, our Art Director, who has worked closely with ACRP as a Climate Reality Leader, illustrator, and graphic designer since her Climate Reality training in Johannesburg in 2014. Reflecting on her longstanding connection with ACRP’s brand and mission, Janet shared:
“Working with ACRP over many years I have a deep understanding and design alignment with their brand, guidelines, colour, and, of course, the work represented in the book! The photographs from Ghana and Cameroon were exhibited at Climate Reality events and online, and I was involved with the visual styling, design, and layout. The exhibition through Fair Finance (a coalition of which ACRP is part) can be viewed here.”
The book was completed in time for COP29, giving ACRP a platform to showcase African communities’ climate resilience on an international stage.
Our Approach to Design and Layout
Our longstanding relationship with ACRP and our agency’s values of adaptability, empathy, and strategic use of color guided our approach.
Here’s how we brought their vision to life:
- Balanced Visuals and Narratives: Stories, art, and photography flowed naturally, guiding readers through CRLs’ personal experiences. These visuals emphasize shared humanity and resilience.
- ACRP’s Brand Colours: Predominantly used ACRP’s green, along with African-inspired patterns, to strengthen the visual connection to ACRP’s identity.
- Design for Emotional Resonance: Integrated poetry and art to deepen emotional engagement, using key quotes and portrait photography to personalize each story.
- Full-Frame Photography: For images from the Ghana and Cameroon exhibitions, we preserved each photograph in its entirety rather than cropping. This approach ensures viewers can fully appreciate the context and detail.
- Simple, Photo-Book Layout: Opted for clean, photo-centric layouts that kept focus on the climate stories, avoiding added cultural symbols for clarity.
Every decision—from typography and colour use to image placement—was guided by the desire to amplify these powerful stories and evoke the right emotions in readers.
The Challenges and Triumphs of Collaboration
The process of creating this book was both rewarding and challenging.
Here are some specific design challenges we tackled with ACRP:
- Balancing Content Across Pages: With varied content types and a set page count, we worked closely with ACRP to refine the layout and ensure each story received its due space.
- Cohesion and Consistency: Through careful use of colour, bold typography, and consistent layouts, we maintained a strong visual thread that supported the storytelling.
- Adjustments Amid Project Delays: Extended timelines can disrupt creative flow, but our deep relationship with ACRP allowed us to adapt smoothly, thanks to mutual trust and understanding.
We were also closely involved in the printing process, working with our strategic partner, Asset Print. This ensured ACRP received a beautiful final product. For clients, we often recommend providing print-ready files, allowing them to build relationships with local printers for future reprints.
Our values of compassion, empathy, and adaptability were vital in ensuring a successful project outcome, demonstrating the importance of strong client relationships cultivated over years of collaboration.
Project Impact
The final product was a 224-page coffee table book that both ACRP and our team are incredibly proud of. As ACRP expressed:
“Just to say the books arrived safely and look beautiful! Thank you so much for your effort.”
This feedback reflects the success of our approach, combining thoughtful design with ACRP’s powerful stories to create an enduring, visually rich experience. By spotlighting African climate leaders, the book now serves as a bridge, sharing the resilience and ingenuity of these leaders with a wider audience and reinforcing the message that African communities have their own solutions for climate challenges.
The timing of the book’s completion for COP29 added further impact. This allowed ACRP to share these stories at an event where global climate advocates gather to drive change.
For Stoneseed Studio, this project underscores the power of design in amplifying vital stories. Our commitment to building long-term relationships, combined with a deep understanding of ACRP’s brand and mission, allowed us to create a meaningful visual journey.
💡 We’re excited about our next book layout or storytelling project!
If you have a story to share, reach out via email, WhatsApp, or social media.
What story do you want to tell?