First The Humans in Space is a book about the Space Race, the 20th-century competition between two Cold War rivals: the Soviet Union and the United States.
First refers to all the first milestones in the conquest of space, and proposes a more close and intimate approach to this historical event, with a particular focus on the human side of the story - the people involved and their personal stories.
The structure of the book is organized by three sections, set in reverse, simulating a countdown: (3) Countdown The historical background of the Space Race; (2) Ignition The preparation on Earth; (1) Take Off The launch into Space.
The design of the book aims to reflect two main concepts: the gradual loss of gravity and the marking of the vertical axis / Earth - Space. The idea is that throughout the book there is an increase in freedom in the way how the grid is used to compose the images, headlines, footnotes, and quotes. That way, the third chapter - the arrival to the moon - constitutes the highlight of the book, with a fluid and bold design that reflects the grandiose nature of this achievement.
All photos belong to their authors.