The Best Dutch Book Designs 2023

Selection

The selection includes poetry, art, photography, architecture, nonfiction and children's books. The professional and student juries each chose 33 books, with 12 books appearing on both lists.

Ed Ruscha

To complement this year’s selection, the Stedelijk is also showing two works by the American artist Ed Ruscha which demonstrate the innovative binding techniques found in many of this year’s books: Every Building on the Sunset Strip (1966) and Dutch Details (1971).

Sustainability

The 2023 selection is proof that good book design doesn’t have to be expensive. Well-known, cost-effective processes such as single-color printing are being used to good effect. Overall, things are getting greener given that many of these design choices – such as using leftover paper stock or paper with a lower carbon footprint – are also eco-friendly. In which sense, the jury observes that economic and ecological constraints are no barrier to great book design.