In the distance, they are blue.
A combinatory exploration of mountain landscapes

Mountains have always fascinated me, not just as physical landscapes, but as emotional and narrative spaces. For my DNSEP (Master’s in Design), I chose to explore this connection through a project that blurs the lines between graphic design, literature, and personal experience. I asked myself: What makes a mountain journey universal? And yet, how is each experience deeply personal?

The project began with a short story, written as a reflection on one of my own hikes, using the poetic and technical language of mountainous terrain. This narrative became the foundation for a combinatory system, a modular reading and visual experience where each chapter invites the reader to make choices: pick an image, choose a path, rearrange the sequence. Some chapters offer multiple options, while others leave room for imagination and interpretation.

As readers progress, they assemble their own visual and emotional journey, echoing the unpredictable, individual nature of hiking. The result is a shifting landscape, part narrative, part collage, built from memory, sensation, and movement. Just like a hike, the experience is shaped by each step, each decision, each perspective.

This project serves as both a poetic cartography and a design experiment. It invites participation and reflection, turning storytelling into topography. Through text and image, I aimed to recreate the sense of wonder, solitude, and discovery that define mountain walks, while allowing each reader to craft their own ascent.