My packaging Design conference at le Lieu de Design and at Nantes.
The 'metro + beau' Paris RATP renovation project will be completed in 2016 and involves refurbishing 273 stations. The new signage is bold, clear and successful. I will try to get some more pictures of it. Combined with new tiling, brighter station lighting and 'smiling' Akiko seating it hugely improves the metro travel experience.
This is the sort of intelligent, understated design that I adore. A great business card in the form of a multifunctional bike tool, by Rethink! for Broke Bike Alley.
With so much horrendously kerned insensitive type and signage about, it is inspiring and reassuring to see the work of David Smith, an English sign writer. Perpetuating the tradition of hand cut, gilded ornamental glass signs, he creates the magnificent signs that can be found in pubs throughout Great Britain. A master class in typography and the art of sign writing.
Sourced Market, recently opened at London's St Pancras station, is a great example of station retailing and food services. It has all the ambiance and quality ingredients of an outdoor market, locally sourced food, fine wines and great design by Shaun Clarkson and branding by Thoughtmatic. An original concept for a rail station. Also at St Pancras is the Grand Champagne Bar, ideal for a drink before boarding the Euro Star.
As someone who travels through Paris’s Gare d’Austerlitz station almost every week, I wish the SNCF would upgrade the quality of services offered here, the overall interior design and furnishings which do not appear to have been touched for 50 years.
When we lived in New York I travelled through Grand Central Station each day. A great restaurant overlooks the main ticket hall and on the lower level there is the Grand Central Oyster Bar. With quality services, restaurants and retailing, rail stations can become a genuine destination and an experience, not just a functional travel hub.Logorama from Marc Altshuler - Human Music on Vimeo.
For those that have not seen it, the Oscar winning animated film by François Alaux, Hervé de Crécy and Ludovic Houplain of H5 French film collective, starring 3 000 logos. Four years in production, it opened the 2010 Sundance Film Festival and won a 2010 academy award in the category of animated short film.
SOS - Save Our Swarm - is the first message ever written by bees. 100 000 bees attracted by the Pheromone of a Queen Bee spell out the message for Plan Bee, an environmental agency, in Devon. Creating quite a buzz!
Final presentation and Paul's critique workshop at Strate Collège Designers with 4th Year and Master's students of the Branding/Packaging/Merchandising assignment: 'Active Sportswear Product' - Using design to bridge the gap between the product and the consumer.
Three years ago we created and launched the Fazillac Noix brand of walnuts and 100% virgin walnut oil. Following the creation of the distinctive brand identity, that is grounded in regional south west French authenticity, we designed the packaging and labelling for flow-packs and glass bottles. A new brand launch, it has been very successful and is now distributed by major supermarkets throughout the country. We are currently working on several new branding and design projects for Fazillac Noix.
A nice brand happening, art piece, sculpture and recycling project for Coca-Cola in Johannesburg. Particularly like his friendly Lego man look.
Work by my 4th Year students in support of the Haiti Poster Project is exhibited on the HPP website and in the accompanying exhibition and catalogue. It can also be seen on the Ecole Bleue website.
The Grand Paris project, initiated by the French Government, aims to envisage the future vision of the Paris Metropole: urbanism, environment, transport, culture, ecology and the diversity and vitality of a major 21st century metropolis. 4th year students at the Ecole Bleue, responded with a poster campaign to communicate the concept.
I do not in any way endorse the defacing of brands and logotypes, which have been conceived in a genuinely strategic and creative process between client and designer, but what is undoubtedly interesting is the power of the brand as an icon of an industry or business and its potential for détournement for other ends.
Typography from Ronnie Bruce on Vimeo.
