On April 1, 1998, the cover of the Santa Fe Reporter underwent the most significant redesign in its then-24-year history. Now, 14 years later, we’re doing it again. Changing the face of the paper so radically came with one major caveat: How could we best preserve the identity of the paper while modernizing it? Surprisingly, the answer came from the paper’s past.

Using the attention to geometry of the ’80s- and early-’90s-era covers, we crafted a new vertical look for the Reporter. All of the important information is present on the left-hand side of the page, allowing designers, photographers and illustrators from around the city and state a chance to have a blank canvas unencumbered by bulky logos and unforgiving parameters. The result? Cleaner layouts, a powerful geometric canvas for striking design and a look that can live in the 21st century rather than looking toward it.