1, 2, Life or 'Yi Er' (一二生活) is a lifestyle retail business based in China, currently expanding into international markets. The name roughly translates into English as ‘One, two, life’ and represents Taoist philosophical principles of living positively in harmony with nature. Outlets offer a diverse range of cultural products for young professionals including books, original artworks, gifts and refreshments. They also host educational, film and family events.
We developed a contemporary bilingual brand identity, applied to a range of items including stationery, merchandise and signage.
For more on 1, 2, Life click here.
Bombay Mix is based in London and stages various screenings and events, presenting film and arts concerning the Indian subcontinent, South Asian people worldwide and the British Asian experience.
We designed a comprehensive range of items including the brand identity, stationery, event programmes and a variety of promotional materials such as posters and flyers. We also curated exhibitions and designed the catalogues; helped to organise events and created the website.
The logo's typography references Bollywood posters; the joining ascenders of the ‘b’ and the ‘y’ resemble Hindi script; and the diamond dot above the ‘i’ is reminiscent of Arabic script – in this way it is inclusive of different cultures within the South Asian community.
The Democratic Society (Demsoc) is a nonpartisan consultancy, campaigning and research organisation aiming to improve democracy through greater participation, transparent government and open decision making.
Following our work on their annual DemFest event we were asked to rework Demsoc’s brand identity. It had become staid – but the brief called for evolution, rather than reinvention. We proposed a more colourful palette, signifying different political movements and diverse pluralism, as well as avoiding partisan associations.
We softened the existing logo’s sharp points, rounding the corners, making it more approachable and including subtle 3D effects. We paired this with a rounded font, so elements of the logo and the type share consistent forms – giving the whole identity a resolved, coherent unity. It also more clearly referred to the vote as the most recognisable symbol of democracy.
A network of state-funded schools in the Kathmandu area of Nepal. The network is currently expanding and includes Jana Uddhar School.
Most children in the area attend private schools, with only the most impoverished going to state schools. Alongside practical reforms, this rebranding project helps reverse that trend, presenting the schools in a more professional, engaging way.
We designed a logo system where the central motif of the pencil represents learning and creativity. This is common to all bodies within the network – while each school has a variation on it. The network itself is illustrated with divergent ribbon-like strands flowing together, signifying collaboration. Jana Uddhar Secondary School’s own pencil also transforms into a book. This was a bilingual project in both English and Nepali.
A Palestinian-led movement committed to resisting the illegal occupation of Palestinian land using nonviolent, direct action methods and principles. The International Solidarity Movement supports volunteers who go to Palestine to take part in these actions.
The ‘M’ resembles the Palestinian national flag – as do the colours used in this proposed logo.
A social enterprise delivering wellbeing programmes for festivals, workplaces and consumers centred on yoga, meditation, nutrition and related disciplines. Soul Stretch run a variety of workshops and retreats — and produce and curate events at music and food festivals across the UK.
They believe that wellbeing should not just be for the privileged few and fund their social mission through commercial activities. Soul Stretch empower young people from deprived backgrounds, teach wellbeing life skills and promote accessible yoga and meditation for older people.
The design features a double ’S’ for ‘Soul Stretch’, which bends, curves and flows, subtly implying 'stretchiness'; as well as playing visual tricks with two and three dimensions. It echoes natural circular forms and the green colour palette suggests a mindful calmness in harmony with nature.
A firm which provides professional and financial services for companies in the life sciences and medical technology sectors.
The ‘CO’ resembles the DNA double helix, signifying genetic codes. The ‘DE’ resembles text in data-rich environments, such as ticker boards in trading markets.
Airspace Art curates, commissions and produces contemporary art installations for global audiences. They realise artistic vision within the context of the site – whether in the open air, the built environment, public or private settings. Airspace’s projects demand architectural, design and engineering input and they manage this entire activity.
Since many of their current clients are in the Arabian peninsula, we designed a multilingual website in both English and Arabic. The site offers a concise introduction to the company and displays full width images with a parallax scrolling effect. The minimal logo is suggestive of ‘stratospheric heights’ and uses a customised font in which the counterspaces have been opened up, literally creating more space.
See the live site here.
Citizenship is taught as part of the UK national curriculum to all school students aged 11-16. It equips young people with the skills and knowledge to exercise their democratic rights and engage in political processes. The Association for Citizenship Teaching is the professional organisation for all those involved in the subject.
The figures in the logo are taking part in a protest or a classroom exercise, conveying a sense of active participation – a key part of Citizenship education. By showing people taking action, it reflects the double meaning in the organisation’s title. It also inclusively depicts figures who are female and male; and represents both students and teachers.
A nursery and childcare centre based in inner London. Dovetail is so-called because their flexible services conveniently fit into the busy lives of local parents, offering care by the hour.
The logo resembles both kids’ building blocks and a dovetail form. A colourful palette and informal, rounded letterforms also present a child-friendly identity.
The Young Mayor is a voice for all young people in this inner London borough and decides how to spend a budget on youth projects. Anyone aged 11-18 who lives or studies in the London Borough of Lewisham can vote or stand for the position. The campaign also aimed to engage young people in the democratic process.
The look of the campaign was based on a dynamic urban style. The figure at the bottom of the logo not only resembles a ‘Y’ for youth, but is also taken from Lewisham council’s own crown logo. We also created promotional materials, posters, learning packs and merchandise, as well as a website for the campaign.
An annual festival of performing and community arts organised by the London Borough of Southwark. The type in this logo was originally taken from a piece of well-known graffiti from one of the roadsides on the way into Peckham. By using this we were positively celebrating the grittiness of the area. The various colours also reflect the diversity of the local community, as well as mirroring those used by local borough. The identity was used on flyers, posters, banners, t-shirts, badges etc.
A global alliance of transport trade unions (such as the RMT, ASLEF, GMB and Unite in the UK). Hundreds of unions are members of the ITF – representing more than 18.5 million transport workers from over 150 countries.
The logo’s rotating circular forms represent both the globe and the wheel; and the colours green and blue signify transport by air, sea and land. Italic typography also suggests movement and dynamism and the diamond references one used in a historical version.
We worked on several other campaigns, particularly for the Women’s, Civil Aviation, Railways and Road Transport sections, creating various materials, from print collateral to exhibition design.
An al fresco fitness club offering a friendlier alternative to other outdoor ‘military fitness’ style workouts and conventional gyms. The retro chic flower is anthropomorphic as well as symbolic of the outdoors. We worked on flyers, website, banners and other promotional items.
A digital design business specialising in WordPress, SEO and training. Previously known as ‘Simon Oliver Design’ we devised a new, more versatile name and identity which was more representative of their changing personnel and services, while still maintaining a link to the old name. The logo is made up of three overlaid ‘pixels’ in red, blue and green – as used in digital displays.
A feature film production company, based in Berlin and London. A film reel replaces the segments of the lime.
This creative studio specialised in the production and design of a wide variety of interactive products, graphic and animation design for multi-channel publications – for clients such as Channel 4, BBC, BFI, British Library, ICA, British Museum, National Museum of Scotland and the Science Museum.
CBS Design’s logo makes playful reference to the flowcharts and wireframes used in interactive media production. The square motif, and the RGB colourway, signify the on-screen pixel – the essential element of their industry.
Specialists in community media and radio broadcasting, as illustrated in the logo by the sound waves emanating from the ‘e’. Eclectic Productions output is focused on young people in inner London. The identity was applied to stationery, graphics for print and digital media, signage and vehicle livery.
A professional photographer who focuses on London life and architecture. Bill Green’s logo is based on the camera’s aperture. The weight of the type is optically balanced to compensate for the positive and negative. Shades of blue were chosen to wilfully avoid the cliché of using green. We worked on stationery, print and website. The reverse of his letterhead featured a montage of his images.
A combined café and children’s play area in Wimbledon, London, themed around Middle Eastern cuisine and the adventures of Sinbad the Sailor. The proposed logo fused the aesthetics of Arabic calligraphy with an urban tagging style.
Local arts and culture promotion body, originally set up by Lewisham council. This proposed logo redesign sought to breathe some life into a previously very rigid geometric design – alongside ideas of ‘circling the square’ and referencing digital aesthetics.
An employment rights pressure group, which also campaigns on broader political issues. We developed a distinctive identity applied to a range of items and a regular publication.
A publishing company that specialise in local history and social research. The ‘open book’ device reflects DFP’s approach. We updated an earlier design and applied it to stationery, publications and digital media.
A central London conference aimed at design students featuring four well-known designers as speakers and originally organised by the International Council of Graphic Design Associations (Icograda). This purely typographic logo works in either portrait or landscape format, and resembles a speaker’s face – with the number four also acting as letter ‘F’, as well as a nose.
An initiative organised by the International Transport Workers’ Federation campaigning against the discriminatory treatment of cabin crew staff by employers and others. It emphasised the staff’s essential role as safety professionals over the misplaced perception of them as ‘trolley dollies’.
The logo combines paired down female, male and ‘equals’ symbols on a plane’s tailfin, and was accompanied by a hard hitting poster and media campaign which received widespread coverage in publications such as Cosmopolitan and the Telegraph.
A series of events showcasing the work of artists from the London Borough of Hackney, celebrating the act of making and leaving a mark, using the surroundings as both inspiration and site. The emphasis is on public access – the street replacing the conventional gallery – with an ‘X’ marking each site where work is shown. Organised as part of the Stoke Newington Midsummer Festival and including performance, installation, live art, film and video.
A London-based provider of consultancy, capacity building and evaluation services; working for social change, peace and resilience in the UK and internationally.
The logo is suggestive of building and progress and was applied to a website and stationery. View the live site here.
Innovative Detection & Monitoring Systems PLC – a medical technology company, based in Scotland, which develops and produces devices enabling dentists to detect the early stages of tooth decay. This helps keep patients in a ‘preventative cycle’.
A communications design, print and production co-operative in east London. Specialising in branding, content, web, publications and sustainable print. Formerly known as ‘Calvert’s North Star Press’ this new identity referenced the old name, suggested ideas of quality and employed a new custom font.
This US company provides funding for the research and development of new medical treatments and pharmaceuticals, providing their clients with ‘more shots on target’. The target is comprised of an interlocking monogram of the company’s initials: ‘cdc’.
