Eames Institute of Infinite Curiosity
by Manual, for Eames Institute
Ray and Charles Eames, the golden couple of 20th century industrial design famous for their iconic furniture need no further introduction.
The Eames Institute of Infinite Curiosity is a non-profit organisation that seeks to bring the methodologies used by the couple to life, equipping others with an ability to use design to solve problems. The institute was seeking a new identity to help it invite and delight visitors from curious non-designer to the most demanding of creative professionals. Its goal was to translate the spirit of the approach used by the Eames duo, and wrap it in a contemporary identity.
The resulting identity is centred around ‘the curious e,’ a symbol that embodies infinite curiosity in dynamic configurations, in a bid to carry on the Eames’ legacy of discovery. Typography choices were inspired by materials found in the Eames archive, while a rich colour palette is drawn from their work.
A launch to introduce the new identity to friends and supporters of the institute includes commissioned artwork, wooden blocks a prism viewer and a packet of Forget-me-not seeds, a symbol of friendship that Ray Eames used at the end of the 1959 film Glimpses of the USA.
The judges said: “A masterpiece. Manual have created a love letter to Eames and their rich legacy. I can feel the care and intelligence poured into it with every decision and piece of execution.”
Sister Circle
by Droga5 London, for Sister Circle
Gynaecology waiting times have tripled over the last decade, cervical screening rates are ‘in crisis’ and maternal mortality rates are going up. In hotspots such as Tower Hamlets, the UK’s most health-deprived area, times are increasingly tough.
Women’s Health & Family Services is a charity providing support to new mothers and to survivors of female genital cutting in Tower Hamlets. It felt that its existing name and identity failed to communicate its vital work. Service users face a variety of challenges including poverty, domestic abuse, trafficking, and often language barriers.
Droga5 London helped by creating a new name – Sister Circle – that encapsulated the charity’s work in a more accessible way, removing barriers to access to for its target audience. A modular logo system and tone of voice followed to position the service as a safe and inclusive space.
Uncouth: The new skincare brand for women who have better things to do that a ten-step routine
by Among Equals for Uncouth
Dermatologist Emma Horton wanted an alternative to traditional skincare treatment, which she perceived as fitting one of two categories: either doctor-led services with a scientific aesthetic and a focus on ingredients, or luxury offers centred on calming rituals.
With a plan for medical-grade skincare products that could be accessed online, prescribed and delivered, she was seeking a brand identity that would help her idea stand out, engage women and find investment.
A category audit and consumer research confirmed Horton’s views and found that women don’t want scientific, high-tech products or fancy packaging and calming routines – they simply want better skin, quickly.
The result was Uncouth, conceived as a brand for women who aren’t afraid to speak up or speak out. From its tone of voice to its tattoo-inspired illustrations, the identity is designed to subvert category norms.
Products launched in Spring 2023, with 11 independent Yorkshire retailers on board to stock them, and the brand close to agreeing first round of seed funding.
Kinjo
by Ben Prescott Design, for Kinjo
Kinjo is a neighbourhood Japanese restaurant located in Oxted, Surrey. Ben Prescott Design was tasked with creating its identity, typeface and interior installations.
The agency sought to reflect the craft, care and sense of community that goes into the dishes in the design. It created a graphic interpretation of the connections formed within neighbourhoods, using connecting dots, to represent the restaurant.
The identity also embraced a mixture of textures, with hand-painted murals, hand-dyed cyanotype textiles and large fabric banners adorning the interior of the venue.
Outernet London
by DBLG, for Outernet Global
The identity for Outernet London had to represent a state-of-the-art entertainment district in the heart of London, a development unique in its scale.
The flagship of Outernet London is The Now Building, a four-storey high, floor-to-ceiling wraparound multi-screen space able to house a huge range of visual content. Content can vary from luxury brand content to musical performances or digital art. Outernet claims it is the most advanced immersive building in the world.
A distinct isometric master logo is at the heart of the identity, and drives all content navigation across the district. Bespoke fonts were commissioned from Berlin type practice NaN, with much of the project taking place via VR systems during lockdown.
Identity Design – Launch
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DOJA – 2 cultures in 1 sip
by OMSE, for Milkman/East Side Distillery
DOJA claims to be the world’s first Indo-Japanese spirit, created during lockdown by Jai Anand, the founder of music festival Milkman.
Unable to run an entertainment business during the pandemic he pivoted to an idea from his own mixed heritage that had piqued his interest by creating a drinks brand. DOJA is a fusion of botanicals from the ends of Asia that seeks to evoke tradition and modernity in equal measure.
OMSE was commissioned to create a name, logo, brand system, packaging and a simple website that reflected the nature and taste of the drink.
The name came from the mixing of culture that was behind its creation: In(do - Ja)panese, while the logo too mixes typefaces and languages. Further ingredients, including type, illustration and photography, are used throughout the branding and communications. A series of illustrations show the key botanicals used, and depict icons of Japanese and Indian culture mixed together.
The brand is now sold from more than 200 stores in India.
Marlow Film Studios
by Saboteur, for Marlow Film Studios
Marlow Film Studios, which has been seeking planning permission for further development, is aiming to become the prime destination for high-end TV and film productions, with state-of-the-art facilities that it hopes will put it ahead of outdated rival studios.
The studio needed to engage with its local community about its plans, but also appeal to film makers from around the world.
The resulting identity used a shape based on the historic suspension bridge that crosses the River Thames at Marlow, rooting it in its community while using the M-shaped bridge as a metaphor for the bridging of ideas and skills, to make the studios a meeting point for international film makers.