A Typographic Quest, Number Four, 'The Organization of Space' – Westvaco, Carl Dair, 1966

Carl Dair was very conscious of space in typography. Both editions of his book Design with Type even had a chapter devoted to it. His attitude regarding the role of space in design can be summed up in two brief quotations from this booklet; ”Space is meaningless until something happens within it; when there is a ‘happening,’ whatever it may be, the space becomes articulated and can communicate to the viewer.” He then goes on to say; “All the visual arts are involved in the problems of articulating space.” For Dair, the choice of typeface, its size and even colour, may all be compromised if any one of those elements are not properly placed in that space we call a page. The deep awareness of space that so many typographers possess can be traced back to the early punch-cutters, followed later by type designers (which Dair also was). For them space is not something passive, it is an active ground that helps to define the shape of a letter, and that has never been better illustrated than in this little booklet.

In 1966 The Organization of Space was chosen as one of the best direct mail pieces in the United States. Dair received the award in September 1967.