The book Science and Sailing with Gaia grew from a close exchange with Swiss astrophysicist Thierry Courvoisier. After a lifetime devoted to observing the universe, Courvoisier embarked on a different form of exploration. Together with his wife Barbara, he sailed across the oceans aboard their boat Gaia. Along the journey, natural phenomena encountered at sea became the starting point for scientific reflections. Courvoisier invited fellow researchers to contribute short texts explaining these observations in a clear and accessible way, with the intention of sharing scientific knowledge with a broad audience, including younger readers discovering these subjects for the first time.
The editorial challenge was to structure this material so that travel narrative and scientific explanation could coexist naturally. The bureau developed a visual system inspired by maritime signal flags. Traditionally used by ships to communicate across distances, these geometric symbols were translated into a simple graphic alphabet that structures the book. Their clarity and vivid colors function as an intuitive navigation system, guiding readers through the different layers of the publication while maintaining immediate legibility.
Built from elementary shapes and bold colors, maritime signals form a visual language that can be understood without relying on written words. This universality resonated with the spirit of the project. By combining travel narrative, scientific insight and a system of visual signals drawn from maritime culture, the book proposes a form of knowledge design in which complex ideas become accessible through structure, rhythm and visual clarity. The project reflects a humanist view of science, one that invites curiosity and makes observation of the natural world approachable for readers across generations.