This structure was created by Hedi Kyle and presents opportunities for playing with the physical, more sculptural qualities of the book. The Flag Book structure can also be used to fragment content.
Find some artwork to cut up and reconfigure or try constructing with alternative materials.
This example uses a heavy weight paper stock for the “flags”, something around 250 – 300 gsm. The concertina spine works best with a thin but strong paper stock – Kraft paper or Ingres paper works well.
Keep the grain direction of all materials running parallel to the spine.
In this example there are two rows of flags and the line between them is straight. It is, however, possible to create many more rows of flags and the line between them can be angled. Experiment!
Essentially, a narrow pleated spine is folded from a long strip of paper and the flags are glued on to both sides of the pleats so that when the book is opened and stretched, the flags point in opposite directions.
![](https://blogs.brighton.ac.uk/viscommtech/files/2020/07/flags1-300x158.jpg)
![](https://blogs.brighton.ac.uk/viscommtech/files/2020/07/flag2-300x215.jpg)
![](https://blogs.brighton.ac.uk/viscommtech/files/2020/07/flag3-300x225.jpg)
![](https://blogs.brighton.ac.uk/viscommtech/files/2020/07/flags4-300x225.jpg)
![](https://blogs.brighton.ac.uk/viscommtech/files/2020/07/flag5-300x225.jpg)
![](https://blogs.brighton.ac.uk/viscommtech/files/2020/07/flag7-300x225.jpg)
![](https://blogs.brighton.ac.uk/viscommtech/files/2020/07/flag8-300x225.jpg)
![](https://blogs.brighton.ac.uk/viscommtech/files/2020/07/flag9-300x225.jpg)