Happy 50th Birthday Pentagram!

This week, Pentagram celebrates its 50th anniversary. To commemorate this milestone, we're pleased to announce a new book, PENTAGRAM AT 50: LIVING BY DESIGN, to be published by Unit Editions this fall.

It was on Monday, June 12, 1972, that Pentagram was founded in London by five partners: Theo Crosby, an architect; Alan Fletcher, Colin Forbes, and Mervyn Kurlansky, all graphic designers; and Kenneth Grange, an industrial designer. Each was a leader in his field with a thriving practice, but they all sensed that they might be able to do more work and better work in a larger setting. By establishing a unique non-hierarchical structure that preserved the autonomy of each of the partners while encouraging collaboration and sharing of resources, the firm was a success from the start. In the five decades since, Pentagram has displayed an enviable longevity, with offices opening in New York, San Francisco, Austin and Berlin, and a partnership that has successfully renewed itself through subsequent generations of leadership, a rarity for design studios. Half a century later, each of the practicing partners is still a working designer, leading an independent group within the larger Pentagram system. 

Unit’s new two-volume compendium, written by Adrian Shaughnessy and designed by Tony Brook, features work from all 51 partners who have contributed to Pentagram’s history and portfolio. More details on the book to follow, and follow us on Instagram at @pentagramdesign for special posts featuring some of our favorite projects from our first 50 years!