Aga Khan University (AKU) is an international institution committed to improving the quality of life in the developing world through education, research, and healthcare. For its 40th anniversary, AKU engaged Bud Rodecker and his team at Span to design a commemorative book that would honor the university’s history and global impact.

The challenge was to create a design that could carry a chronological narrative, spanning four decades, while maintaining clarity and visual continuity across a range of stories, people, and milestones. Span responded with a clean and thoughtful design approach. The book’s structure moves linearly through time, integrating photos directly into the flow of text and placing key imagery into larger photo wells that give visual weight to pivotal moments.

The result is a commemorative publication that reflects AKU’s legacy with dignity and precision—one that invites reflection on its founding mission and celebrates the institution’s enduring influence in the fields of healthcare and education.