Basecamp

At the end of each year, the owners of the project management software company Basecamp express their gratitude to their team through the gift of travel. Each employee can select a world destination to experience, with a curated list of eclectic locations offered as idea starters.

The gift for 2017 was presented in the form of a keepsake walnut box, a letterpressed leather-bound book, and an illustrated and embroidered world map printed on linen. Each box was customized with an engraved leather nameplate. The top slid open to reveal the book and the map, wrapped with a glassine band and finished with a wax compass seal. Maps were personalized with hand-embroidered linework and a star denoting the recipient’s home.

Several illustrations were created for the map, and for the letterpressed book, a simpler version of each image was drawn. Each press form of the book was printed with a different split fountain gradient to color the illustrations. The pages were then French folded, and the books were handbound into leather wraps with a modified longstitch technique.

Many thanks to Lindy Sinclair for creative collaboration, project management, sourcing, hand-finishing, and more. Copywriting by Andrea LaRowe of Basecamp. Letterpress by Ryan Basile at Double Trip Press. Bookbinding by Nicolette Ross. Leather from Horween Leather Co.