Unit Editions


Unit Editions is an independent British book publishing company founded in 2009 by Adrian Shaughnessy and Tony Brook and Patricia Finegan of the design studio Spin.
Based in London, the company is known for its elaborately produced publications that focus on niche topics in graphic design and visual culture. Its stated mission is to publish books on “subjects that are either neglected or ignored by mainstream publishers” and its founding was "prompted by frustration at the quality of design books available and a faith that quality in both design and writing would find a market".
Unit Editions was notable for establishing its reputation online and via social media and for producing a range of illustrated research papers as well as books.
The company distributes books directly to customers, selling about 85% of them through its website, and occasionally employing crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter and Volume. Most of its books are produced in relatively small print runs of 1000–3000 copies, and some titles sell out quickly. The majority of its first 50 titles were designed by Spin.
In 2023, British publishing house Thames & Hudson acquired the rights to Unit Editions’ past publications and future titles. Since the acquisition, new books have been published on the work of designers MuirMcNeil, Chris Ashworth, North and Fred Troller with a second edition of its 2012 monograph on the late Ken Garland appearing in 2025.

Awards and recognition

Eating with the eyes, a collection of photographs by designer and Pentagram partner Harry Pearce, designed by Pentagram and published by Unit Editions in 2016, won a 2016 D&AD Award. Unit Editions was nominated in the graphic design section of the 'Beazley Designs of the Year' exhibition at London's Design Museum in 2017 and included in Creative Review’s Creative Leaders list in 2018.

Published titles

As of 2025, Unit Editions’ imprint includes more than 50 published titles, including monographs on celebrated graphic designers like FHK Henrion, Lance Wyman, Pentagram, Ken Garland, Herb Lubalin, and Paula Scher. Each title published by Unit Editions is identified with a sequential number, usually placed on the book’s copyright page or covers.
UnitTitleSubjectYearISBN
1Studio Culture: The Secret Life of the Graphic Design StudioInterviews with graphic design studio owners2009
2SupergraphicsSupergraphics2010
3TD 63-73: Total Design and its Pioneering Role in Graphic DesignWork by Total Design2011
4Wim Crouwel: a graphic odyssey catalogueCatalogue to accompany Wim Crouwel exhibit at Design Museum2011
5Projekt: The Polish Journal of Visual Art and DesignProjekt magazine2011
6Kwadraat-Bladen – A Series of Graphic Experiments 1955-1974Work by Pieter Brattinga2012
7Herb Lubalin American Graphic Designer 1918–81Work by Herb Lubalin2012
9Ken Garland: Structure and SubstanceWork by Ken Garland2012
10Jurriaan Schrofer : Restless TypographerWork by Jurriaan Schrofer2012
11Scratching The Surface: Essays 1995-2013Essays by Adrian Shaughnessy2013
12Type OnlyContemporary typography2013
13FHK Henrion: The Complete DesignerWork by FHK Henrion2013
14Herb Lubalin: American Graphic Designer 1918–81 , re-issuedWork by Herb Lubalin2014
15Manuals 1: Design and Identity GuidelinesHistoric corporate design manuals2014
16Supernew SupergraphicsSupergraphics2014
17Type PlusContemporary typography2014
18Manuals 2: Design and Identity GuidelinesHistoric corporate design manuals2014
19SPIN: 360ºWork by design studio Spin2015
20Lance Wyman: The MonographWork by Lance Wyman2015
22TD 63-73: Total Design and its Pioneering Role in Graphic Design, expandedWork by Total Design2016
23Eating with the eyesPhotographs by Harry Pearce2016
24Graphic Stamps: The Miniature Beauty Of Postage StampsPostage stamps2016
25Herb Lubalin: TypographerTypography by Herb Lubalin2016
26Action Time Vision – Punk & Post-Punk 7" Record SleevesPunk and post-punk record covers2016
27Impact 1.0: Design Magazines, Journals and Periodicals Magazine covers, 1922–19732016
28Impact 2.0: Design Magazines, Journals and Periodicals Magazine covers, 1974–20162016
30Paula Scher: WorksWork by Paula Scher2016
31Spin/Adventures in TypographyExperimental work by design studio Spin2017
32andreas uebele material monograph volume 3, 2003–2016Work by Andreas Uebele2016
33National Theatre Posters: A Design HistoryPosters for National Theatre2017
34Letraset: The DIY Typography RevolutionTypefaces and history of Letraset2017
35Octavo Redux 1:1 — a record of Octavo, journal of typography 1986–1992Work by design studio 8vo2017
36Spin/Adventures in Typography IIExperimental work by design studio Spin2017
37Paula Scher: Works , re-issuedWork by Paula Scher2018
38Vaughan Oliver: Archive Materials & FragmentsWork by Vaughan Oliver2018
40VNIITE: Discovering Utopia – Lost Archives of Soviet DesignWork by VNIITE2018
41Lance Wyman: Process. A proposal for the 1976 USA Bicentennial identityBrand identity for the United States Bicentennial2018
42Karlssonwilker On AmericaVisual essay on America by design studio Karlssonwilker2018
43What is Universal Everything?Work by Universal Everything2019
44AZTDR™ – A—Z of The Designers Republic™Work by The Designers Republic2019
45Studio Culture Now: Advice and guidance for designers in a changing worldInterviews with graphic design studio owners2020
46Ed Fella: A Life in ImagesWork by Ed Fella2022
50Pentagram: Living by DesignWork by Pentagram2022
52North: Extracts from visual identitiesWork by design studio North2023
531,000 MarksLogotypes by Pentagram2024
54Disorder: Swiss Grit Volume IIWork by Chris Ashworth2025
55Fred Troller DesignWork by Fred Troller2024
56Ken Garland: Structure and Substance, re-issuedWork by Ken Garland2025