Sam Southwell on building (South) and the book that documents it all

Condensing 21 years of a design studio into a single book is an act of commitment to say the least. With Moments in Time, Sam Southwell, Founder & Executive Creative Director of Auckland-based brand consultancy (South), has produced a 290-page, cloth-bound volume documenting the practice year by year across 20 chapters, from its early days as Aplus Design Studio in the mid-2000s through to the multi-division consultancy it has become. The book features Swiss-bound, section-sewn exposed binding, chrome and black foiling, speciality papers and a chrome die-cut dust jacket – published through Australian Book Connection in a run of 800 copies. It arrives at a moment when (South) spans three divisions: the original brand consultancy, Mark by (South) for creative communications, and Made by (South) for production and fabrication. In this conversation, Southwell reflects on the journey the book captures, the challenges of independence in New Zealand, and why he considers design a life commitment. TBI: Hey Sam, how’s things? It was lovely to meet you at TDC after all these years! SS: Likewise, it really was, and what a conference! Thank you for your support, both of the event and the panel I spoke on about staying relevant online.