Personal & Professional Practice
Sunday 5 June 2016
External Engagement: Studio Visit - Lo Siento
Whilst in Barcelona my next stop was to visit Lo Siento. To initiate conversation I emailed them in my best Spanish. Although this was tricky, I figured they would appreciate the effort I put in to write to them. It most definitely payed off because they got back to me, explaining that they'd be more than happy to have me stop by, as long as I gave them details and dates.
I've always admired their work, and although at this point I am already sure that I won't be going on to work in a studio this was still a great experience that I learnt a lot from. They could'nt house me for long, so I spent a few house basically on a walkthrough, they showed me their work stations, and small pieces they had finished.
The studio is tiny, considering the quality of work they produce with only three of them working on a project that day. Cristina, a graphic designer sat with me and asked about my progress with the course and what I wanted to etc.
Overall is was a great experience, to see a working studio, though admittedly it was intimidating, as they are such a hugely successful studio.
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I admire this studio for their concepts and how they practice working outside the box and their refreshing take on different mediums. Although it is still not a path for me it was still an invaluable experience
Personal Branding: Development
Monday 8 February 2016
DBA: Values and Concepts
Off the back of our first meeting we began to flesh out the core values we had discussed with the entire group, explaining why they were important and how they were relevant and how our designs connoted them.
Connection
Future
Efficiency
Community
From these core values we chose the words associated and created small rationales for each concept/value.
Values
Speed: The pods travel up to 800mph. A speed unheard of for land travel. It's important to have the audience grasp how fast and by default how efficient this allows travel to be. Conversely, it's also important to think about the negative aspects of this. Many people find change intimidating. Regardless of however efficient it may be some may not want to be reminded of the insane speed they will be travelling. Many fear planes etc. and the Hyperloop will soon fill the gap that interstate flying occupies. It should be a quicker and more integrated way of travel, whilst catering to those who dislike air travel.
Connection: The Hyperloop connects peoples and places. It essentially marries cities and allows for people (businesses, families, couples) to be closer together, at an affordable cost. Having a design that shows such connections is also an important concept to drive home.
Future: The Hyperloop is viewed as a creation of the 'future', a breakthrough. However, importantly we are thinking a lot about how to position the mode of transport. We asked ourselves how do we incorporate such an unfamiliar mode of transport into the public. Uncertainty and fear are two major components that will deter passengers from something so 'new' and 'futuristic. To overcome this we will have to think carefully about the brands voice and accessibility.
Moving on to design we wanted to research the key words we had found in our first meeting, by gathering reference material. There were subjects and elements we wasn't our identity to connote.
As consumers we are trained to recognized symbols and visual queues. What do these queues look like, and how can we utilize them correctly?
Airflow
Hyperloop Components
Movement/Travel
Successful Concept Driven Logos
Custom Type
We decided early on that in terms of logo type, it would have to be something custom. Something that belongs solely to hyperloop. Something that can be instantly recognizeable and have the potential to grow alongside the brand.
Fifth Mode
Having designs depict the importance/revolutionary measures of this brand new, fifth mode of transport
Connection
Future
Efficiency
Community
From these core values we chose the words associated and created small rationales for each concept/value.
Values
Speed: The pods travel up to 800mph. A speed unheard of for land travel. It's important to have the audience grasp how fast and by default how efficient this allows travel to be. Conversely, it's also important to think about the negative aspects of this. Many people find change intimidating. Regardless of however efficient it may be some may not want to be reminded of the insane speed they will be travelling. Many fear planes etc. and the Hyperloop will soon fill the gap that interstate flying occupies. It should be a quicker and more integrated way of travel, whilst catering to those who dislike air travel.
Connection: The Hyperloop connects peoples and places. It essentially marries cities and allows for people (businesses, families, couples) to be closer together, at an affordable cost. Having a design that shows such connections is also an important concept to drive home.
Future: The Hyperloop is viewed as a creation of the 'future', a breakthrough. However, importantly we are thinking a lot about how to position the mode of transport. We asked ourselves how do we incorporate such an unfamiliar mode of transport into the public. Uncertainty and fear are two major components that will deter passengers from something so 'new' and 'futuristic. To overcome this we will have to think carefully about the brands voice and accessibility.
Moving on to design we wanted to research the key words we had found in our first meeting, by gathering reference material. There were subjects and elements we wasn't our identity to connote.
As consumers we are trained to recognized symbols and visual queues. What do these queues look like, and how can we utilize them correctly?
Airflow
Hyperloop Components
Connection
Movement/Travel
Successful Concept Driven Logos
Custom Type
We decided early on that in terms of logo type, it would have to be something custom. Something that belongs solely to hyperloop. Something that can be instantly recognizeable and have the potential to grow alongside the brand.
Fifth Mode
Having designs depict the importance/revolutionary measures of this brand new, fifth mode of transport
Wednesday 3 February 2016
DBA: Brainstorming
Tom, Mo and I had a meeting, using the time to really focus on background research of the project. We knew that we wanted to have a sound understanding of what we were designing, what it meant and who it would be for. Since being briefed the day before, we spent our time apart to each create mood boards looking at different elements of an identity, Looking briefly at elements we would have to design.
Mo collected logos and images that connoted an aesthetic style, vision, movement and identity. He also had a heavy focus on uniform design, an area that he continues to specialise in, fashion.
Tom also collected logos of successful design, that looked at movement, looping and deeper concepts. I focused on the visual feel of the 'Hyperloop' - stations, 'the future', economically friendly design and colour schemes appropriate. After talking through what we our boards and what we wanted our identity to do.
We then began a huge brainstorming session, looking at what the Hyperloop, as a muse of transport, as an invention, means and connotes to potential commuters. We broke down the Hyperloop into four words: connection, future, efficient and community.
We wanted to create a vocabulary for the hyperloop, personalise and give it an actual identity, rather than begin to assign colours, and markings with no real prior thought. From a plethora of words, we narrowed down those that we wanted to keep and discarded those that strayed too far from the original words. It is these words that will carry us through the design phase as 'Core Values'.
Mo collected logos and images that connoted an aesthetic style, vision, movement and identity. He also had a heavy focus on uniform design, an area that he continues to specialise in, fashion.
Tom also collected logos of successful design, that looked at movement, looping and deeper concepts. I focused on the visual feel of the 'Hyperloop' - stations, 'the future', economically friendly design and colour schemes appropriate. After talking through what we our boards and what we wanted our identity to do.
We then began a huge brainstorming session, looking at what the Hyperloop, as a muse of transport, as an invention, means and connotes to potential commuters. We broke down the Hyperloop into four words: connection, future, efficient and community.
We wanted to create a vocabulary for the hyperloop, personalise and give it an actual identity, rather than begin to assign colours, and markings with no real prior thought. From a plethora of words, we narrowed down those that we wanted to keep and discarded those that strayed too far from the original words. It is these words that will carry us through the design phase as 'Core Values'.
'Connection' | 'Future' | 'Efficient' | 'Community' |
Carrier | Break through | Factual | Join |
Union (unity, unite) | Growth | Toward | Centre |
Channel | Upgrade | Practical | People |
Network | Advance | Positive | Society |
Contact | Improve | Ideal | Co-operative |
Bridge | Progress | Economical | Exchange |
Bind Together | Forward | Productive | Commune |
Join | Evolving | Adaptive | |
Link | Advancement | Well-Organized | |
Strengthen | Steps | Fitted | |
Co-op | Evolution | Optimal | |
Interlude | Inevitable | Beneficial | |
Chain | Development | ||
Tie | Next | ||
Mark |
Monday 1 February 2016
DBA: Hyperloop Brief
DBA came in to brief us on the Hyperloop a high-speed ground transport system. The brain child of Paypal and Space X founder Elon Musk. It's currently under development by ULCA and other tech companies and has the capacity to be built in a decade.
Our job was to create an identity for the project. The fifth mode of transport, that would revolutionise travel. Making a journey from LA to San Fransisco, a 380 mile journey, only take 20 minutes.
Friday 27 November 2015
John Maeda: My Journey In Design
Designer John Maeda talks about his path from a Seattle tofu factory to the Rhode Island School of Design, where he became president in 2008. Maeda, a tireless experimenter and a witty observer, explores the crucial moment when design met computers.
John Maeda
Artist
John Maeda, the former president of the Rhode Island School of Design, is dedicated to linking design and technology. Through the software tools, web pages and books he creates, he spreads his philosophy of elegant simplicity.
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