@rulesbased
To avoid lots of nice examples getting unpublished, mainly because not always there’s time to do a bit of extra research and those links got lost on our bookmarks, we’re now on twitter.
Of course we will continue publishing extended reviews here, but in the meantime, follow us @rulesbased
eddie opara
Another inspiring talk at the Walker Art Center.
Eddie Opara is a former designer of Art Technology Group, Imaginary Forces and New York based 2×4. He is a founder partner of the Map Office, defined in their own words as:
A contemporary design agency striving to build compelling visual brands through strategy, design and technology.
generative gestaltung
Reading old posts of Serial Consign, a blog about digital culture and information design, I came across this interesting generative layouts project.
The author is Benedikt Groß, at his website you get more information about generative strategies applied to graphic design and also find some InDesign scripting to play with.
He is also author, with Hartmut Bohnacker, Julia Laub and Claudius Lazzeroni, of Generative Gestaltung, a book published just in German at the moment. My German level is very very basic so I can’t wait for the English version.
Until now, designers used the tools developed for them by programmers, meaning that the persons doing the designing adapted themselves to the system. Generative design transforms design-schooled users of digital tools into programmers of their own individual digital toolbox. This opens up new visual vistas and fundamentally alters the design process.
Quoted from the publisher website (Verlag Hermann Schmidt), where you can sign in for the English version.
field
We have already published their work for AOL a few months ago.
All their work is truly generative with really engaging outcomes. Among their updates since last time we visit their website, Dokfest Lounge project catch my attention especially. Check their website.
They are giving a talk in London at the Glug BBQ at Cargo next Thursday, 22 May. Line up also includes Moving Brands, Mickey Stretton and Maverick Media. More info and tickets here.
8vo on the outside
Via Swiss Legacy, I found out that some chapters from the 8vo on the outside book are available at Google Books. Unfortunately, those showcasing their flexible identities are not. The book is published by Lars Müller.
Recommended reading with interesting inputs about the importance of the design of the system, as opposed to the design of the outcome.
Image from the Hamish Muir website.
sun effects
Hannu Oksa is glad to share some comments about this interesting identity I came across last week
Sun Effects is a Finnish lighting design company with over ten years of experience in the field. They work with a broad array of fields from exhibitions and public spaces to festivals and stage arts.
The identity builds from the basic idea of how audiovisual design (and light and sound in general) has the ability to shape and control space and environment: they can create new perspectives or change the nature of a space completely. In other words, light, sound and space are permanent parts of an equation that has limitless outcomes based on how you use them.
Light and sound as elements and audiovisual design as a field of art are constantly changing and evolving. By giving the identity the possibility to experimentation and evolution in itself, it reflects the field of work in a powerful way.
The identity uses a quasi periodic eight fold grid as a basis. The grid is used much like a raster to form a set of building blocks. By using the blocks with a general set of rules the identity allows for the symbol to have endless variations and still retain a conjunctive form.
more images after the jump
iti
ITI works with automation of all functions related to buildings. The identity is based upon the ida of ITI making everyday tasks easier for everyone, summarized in the slogan “Room for life”.The logo can be seen as just a flat artwork, but is in fact a cube (room) wich helds colors (life).The multicolored device is actually the logo folded out. It comes in a number of different versions, wich communicates both the adaptability (is that a word?) of the system, and life taking different directions. The colors are meant to feel happy, full of life and easy.There are not many rules of how to use the device, meaning you can create uniqe expressions every time.It is not grid based, so you can scale it to fit the media you are using.You shall not rotate it, combine different devices or place it over images.When possible, the logo is always placed so it “runs” with the lines in the device.
griffin
Another great flexible identity system from Interbrand’s Sydney Office. Playing with a monospace font creates a solid and adequate visual language for Griffin, a theatre plays writing company.
A full review of the identity at Brand New.
karl gerstner
Back in the 60′s, Swiss designer Karl Gerstner wrote Designing Programmes, a book about systems in graphic design that still valid nowadays and should be a reference for any graphic designer interested on this approach.
Designing Programmes is published by Lars Müller. Scroll down to see more details about the book by the middle of the page.
qi.tv
Clicking through the Eye Magazine blog, I came across Angela Lorenz work, with this interesting identity for qi.tv
The logo has no static form: since this is about moving image, I generated a pool of different versions that are applied once and then thrown away.
There’s a generative approach through out all her work worth checking. Visit her website and read her profile from Eye here
typeface as a program
Thanks to manystuff, I came across the first book we feature here:
Calligraphy and hand-drawn letters comprise series of strokes and curves; mechanical typography does too, through the engraving process of punches and counter-punches. Digital typography, however, dematerializes this operation, leaving the choice of formal references open-ended. Does that mean novel forms of design could evolve through manipulating fonts’ algorithmic data? Several small scripting programs were developed and tested by the students during a series of workshops.
Full details here
Edited on May 17, 2010:
Finally I bough it. It is gorgeously printed in black and orange and I started reading it yesterday. Just with the introduction and the first chapter I have to say that it is worth reading.
decode V&A
Victoria and Albert Museum has commissioned the artist Karsten Schmidt to design a truly malleable, digital identity for the Decode exhibition by providing it as open source code. We are giving you the opportunity to recode Karsten’s work and create your own original artwork. If we love your work it might even become the new Decode identity.
Text quoted from Decode via FormFiftyFive. Image from toxi‘s Flickr.
linking europe
London based company Company has created a flexible identity, that draws itself linking the 12 stars of the EU flag every time on a different way, for the European Interagency Security Forum (EISF).
More images and info here
AOL animations
Part of the already commented AOL rebrand. This videos from Field are truly generative, adding even more complexity to the identity.
Apart from that, there is an impressive body of generative work worth looking at at their own website.
Thanks to Generator.x
AOL & brief history of dynamic identities
Roger van der Bergh posted a very interesting article at Identity Forum originated by the AOL new identity and showing that flexible identities are not a trend but a reliable strategy.
melbourne
Another great system from Landor Australia where the filling of the M could be customised according to certain rules to adapt new requirements.
The designs were all part of conveying the diverse and creative fabric of Melbourne. There were fixed rules, in that we could only use the points of the triangular structure. All the crystal style facets, the gridded forms and the intricate patterns and 3d compositions all use the geometric points that the M was created on – nothing is just randomly positioned.
Thanks Jason for the quote.
Update: Read an interview with Jason about the project at Landor’s website
namics
The Swiss company Heads came up last year with a brilliant identity system for Namics, based on the inputs from the company’s employees.
They just won a reddot design award to be awarded the next December the 9th. Congratulations.
colour sucker
Colorsukr is an online application by Paul Burgess that generates colour palettes from images. An interesting tool worth looking at.
casa da música
Very interesting project from Stephan Sagmeister for the Casa da Música music venue in Porto, Portugal.
Thanks to Brand New
lnst festival
Alberto Romanos created a collaborative identity system for a cultural festival asking people to follow these basic rules:
- Pick a colour
- Draw a circle doing at least three rotations. Do it quickly and don’t bother yourself about geometric perfection.
- Done!
walker art center
NY based designer Chad Kloepfer created a great identity system for the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis.
It is amazing how simple seems to be that just with a custom font using full words and patterns instead of standard glyphs and a very basic set of rules, a powerful generative identity is created.
The system fully explained here
mevis & van deursen
Great talk from Armand Mevis explaining, among other work, their approach to identity systems.
Thanks to The Walker Channel at The Walker Art Center.
loreak mendian
Loreak Mendian is running a photography contest. You just need to submit a picture using a blank circle covering your face.
More info at Loreak Mendian’s photography contest
