- Project is over

So, the deadline for me was today. Not tomorrow. Tomorrow i go to Barcelona for the week end! 
I managed to be satisfied with what i handed in to Paul, which was my primary objective. The second was probably to end up with something worth to go to the portfolio. I think i've managed that one too.
There is, of course, loads to do still, and, i could have done things better, but, hey, at one stage one must stop. 
So, to celebrate my Barcelona trip i went to the photography department and rented a 35 mm camera. Super friendly the guys downstairs, as always, not only spared some time to show me some tricks but also gave me an extra film. That was nice. For free.
I would like to come up with a concept to photograph. People. Or building. Or shapes. Something. The idea would not so much to document my staying, but to profit my stage or relaxation (week end, Barcelona...) to try and ad something new to my collection of work.. Well, i leave tomorrow, but any ideas?
Above is my final outcome, printed, binded with a spiral, photographed, and inserted in the presentation. It's a spread of a small booklet for tourist visiting Borough and Bankside...
Have a nice one.

- Design application

So, the deadline is about to come. I still have quite a lot to do.

Uff, it's difficult being a designer. I guess that for me the most difficult really, is to keep the morale on a high. I feel so frustrated so many times. This is not normal.

Well, i usually prefer acting than complaining, so, for today i set myself goals and some time slots to achieve what i needed. It was surely more productive than any other day of this project. Great, 3 days to go and i find a system that works...

So, this is a part of what i had planned to do for today. The establishment and presentation of brand guide lines, and, some sort of page of a tourist booklet.

No, i am not very happy, but hey, i'm happy to learn.

- Designing the presentation

  

        NEW VERSION OF THE LAYOUT
__________________________________________________________________________________

              OLD VERSION OF THE LAYOUT

I was told on the last presentation before the final that my layout was too full, very difficult to read. And i agree. So i've created a new one. I had to completely change the grid system, previously 9 column, now simpler, 4.

I was also told to introduce my identity into the presentation. It is probably not over yet my work, but so far i've introduced the tone of voice. Heading, i suggest, should transmit a fun, or relaxed, atmosphere, which is, in fact, what Bourough and Bankside is all about...

- The identity application

So, today is the first of February. The project continues and as i cannot decide on a logo, the idea is to use it on the different possible applications, and then chose. Here is one, a magazine, full sized page advert. I could have worked out the copy better, but it is really more just to have a look. I like it. I like my Museo Sans, hihihhi...

- Further development of logo

This is the stage i am on my project. Research is definitely over. 

The bolder version of the logotype is Frutiger typeface. A corporate alternative to the faceless Helvetica. The other, is Museo Sans. I like it. It might have to much style which could end up being a problem at later stages. But, i like it. To me it says Borough and Bankside. The area.

Concerning the mark, there are two routes i could follow. One is where the colors don't overlapse, more squared, more urbanist. The other is where more about diversity, arts..

And i am not to sure which route to go... 

- I started to design, finally

So, this is what, together with my research showed in my group. The project is to rebrand and area, i chose Southwark. Within Southwark i picked the area that seems more in emergent need of rebranding: Bankside and Borough. Tate Modren is there, London City Hall is there, Globe Theatre is there, Borough Market is there... and a long list of things connected to the arts, performance and culture.

After more than 2 weeks researching, it's nice to be able to start designing.

This is the beginning of my designing process. I have until Monday to polish this up, create the brand guide lines, start designing my PDF presentation... excellent. 

- Southwark rebrand

Hello.

So, tomorrow is the interim crit for the whynot project. My plan is to rebrand the London Borough of Southwark. I want to create a new identity that reflects the area, hugely enterprising, diverse and with historic background. Charlie Chaplin was born here. So was Charles dickens. So was John Harvard..

Its the host of London City Hall and will be in 2012 the land of the tallest building in Europe, the shard. 

In Southwark you can visit one of the best modern arts museums in the world, for free. From there, Tate Modern, you can walk to Borough market or have a look inside the Cathedral..

Here are some initial ideas...

- Brand and sub brand

Brand

Sub brands

I really like this work. First because it fits into my research, identities of arts and area intitutions. Second because it is an organisation in a muslim country and i had never seen such good design from that part of the world (yes, im sure there is plenty of excellent work).

I think the identity was very well conceived. It is a space and related to the arts so they introduced a frame. Brilliant. The shape is handy and used troughout the mediums. Great, clear typeface. Excellent pictures. I find it also very well conceived at the level of sub branding - Member, Koob, Store. Simple.

The agency that produced this work was www.interstateteam.com

- Nation branding

Nation Branding is what i am researching at the moment. 

This is the work of Tandem design, the agency who won the pitch to create a nation identity that was run in 2007 and 2008 by the Liverpool Culture Company, member cities of the Cultural Cities Network and the Heritage Lottery Fund as part of the European Capital of Culture 2008 celebrations.

I like the simplicity of the rectangular shapes. this way, the colours really are the main eye catching element into individuality.

- Brand typeface design

Renowned typographical foundry Fontsmith have teamed up with Mencap, the UK’s leading charity for people with learning disability, their families and supporters, to create a new corporate typeface as part of a complete rebranding exercise. "FS Me"

Mencap provide services, advice and support to meet people’s needs and choices throughout their lives, as well as fighting for equal rights, campaigning for greater opportunities and challenging attitudes and prejudices. They needed a bespoke font to reflect this, as well as having the opportunity to create a ‘benchmark’ in terms of design and legibility.

See more on http://www.fontsmith.com

- SQUARE

This project was done by the why not associates design agency. And... this is also the agency with whom i'll be working on an identity project as part of our first task for the first term at the LCC.

I chose this example, SQUARE, because i find it fantastic. The logotype in it's simplicity carries all the elements that will make part of the identity of this business meeting center in Belgium. The "Q" is transformed into a "square", but at the same time it's a speech bubble, how genius. And, contrary to what one could expect from a squared brand mark, it doesn't feel inflexible at all. See the brochures for example..

Can't wait for the term to start again!