Artifacts - Porsche

Artifacts provides an unparalleled artistic view into the secretive rooms of the Porsche Corporate Archive in Zuffenhausen. The book is designed to offer readers not only an insight into the items that tell the story of the iconic brand and its vehicles but also the human element behind them. The project was spearheaded and produced by the ERG Media team, who also curate the daily digital magazine, Type 7, powered by Porsche. Artifacts is presented from an abstract perspective with dramatic lighting and high-resolution photography. Each item is explored by photographer and lead creative, Thomas Walk, who focuses on the textures, patina, and rich history contained within each piece. Millions of items have been curated into a meaningful selection that showcases the breadth of the Archive, which includes Porsche family items, equipment from Porsche’s design and development history, and documents of iconic cars. All of these are directly connected to the vehicles displayed in the Porsche Museum. Each selected piece was photographed in a specially constructed studio space in Zuffenhausen, while the vehicles were captured in situ at the Porsche Museum. Spanning 356 pages, this large-format coffee table book pairs its photography with a separate pull-out index, detailing the stories behind each item. The result offers a reader experience akin to entering the vaults in Zuffenhausen and exploring Porsche’s tangible memory bank. A unique packaging experience was designed in collaboration with Andy Cruz from House Industries, aiming to echo the essence of the items inside. This includes a custom font created by the iconic design studio. Readers can anticipate a genuine aesthetic journey. Artifacts arrives wrapped in paper designed to pay homage to design blueprints. Once unwrapped, readers will discover the archive box, fortified with reinforced metal corners. Breaking a seal reveals the book’s red slipcase, inspired by the thousands of technical folders that adorn the shelves of the Archives. Engaging with the book becomes a tactile journey as readers unwind a string to finally uncover the wealth of photographs and information it holds.