Project 3: Initial Designs Logo
- Nov 13, 2020
- 4 min read
After doing my initial research I decided to start by creating my logo. I decided to go with this one first because it meant that I could establish my graphic elements that I can use through out my other designs creating a strong visual system.
Concept
I decided to go with the concept of 'utopia'. Making an exhibition which describes the reason behind her work and how ever building is a part of her manifesto of a new way of living. Deciding on this concept informed me on how I could create the logo. I decided to create my logo the way Zaha Hadid did when creating her buildings. Which was through sketching and using gestural lines.
Initial Designs
This was the list I created to get down ideas that I had in my head on how I wanted my visual system to look like. This was good to refer to when creating my sketches.
These were my first sketches I did I was inspired by a workshop I had done previously where we used after effects to create a dynamic logo:
I think I will this method in my own logo to make something that is visually engaging and emphasises the dynamic nature of Zaha's designs.
To vary my designs I decided to use paper to try and create this one continuous line as if the logo was emerging from the page. However it did not totally create the effect I was looking for because it was too angular I wanted to make something more fluid.
I was inspired by this sketch by Zaha Hadid by creating the logo that is nestled into the landscape.
I then moved on with this idea of contours and nestling the title into the contours showing that it is an extension to the land around it. At this point I had got to a dead end I was not entirely happy with the designs. So I started to research more
on why and how Zaha used all these gestural lines to create a building.
I watched this Q and A with Zaha made only a few weeks before her death. It was poignant and interesting to hear her final thoughts on her vision. But most importantly about 40 minutes in she described herself why her work is made up of these lines. Every building she creates is inspired by the geometry of the surrounding space. She will look at the angles and contours of land and buildings surrounding her work.
To understand this more I decided to go outside and draw to contours of park nearby (South Park).
Setting of the Exhibition
From developing my logo more I realised that where this exhibition could be set is extremely important in my concept. Because I want to base my 'lines' off something that is significant to Zaha.
After doing some more research I went through a process of looking at multiple places. Best described in this list that I made when researching. My decision on where I would place this exhibition is that I would base it in multiple places around the world that are significant buildings to Zaha but they are also accessible so anyone could go and see this exhibition and understand the meaning of Zaha's work. I will create an identity that works for all exhibitions using line as the base link.
Places
Vitra Fire Station, Weil am Rhein, Germany
I chose this building as the first place the exhibition would be because it is. The first building that brought Hadid from a 'paper architect' to a proper architect who could make designs that work. It is also now a museum so I would be a great space to place the exhibition.
MAXXI National Museum of Contemporary Arts, Rome, Italy
I chose this Museum as the next place because is in Italy's capital meaning it is more accessible to tourists. Which means her reasons behind her work will get more exposure.
Serpentine Sackler Gallery, London, UK
I chose this building because once again it is another accessible public place but it is also one of Zaha's most well known building in the UK.
Heydar Aliyev Center, Baku, Azerbaijan
This building is probably one of Hadid's most successful buildings in making it look as it is a natural extension of the landscape. It is also in the Middle East meaning that it is in another part of the world opening it up to different people.
Guangzhou Opera House, Guangzhou, China
I chose this building because is in China and is one of Zaha most famous buildings created in china.
Cincinnati Contemporary Arts Centre, Cincinnati, USA
I chose this building for America because it is the first building that made Hadid well known in America. Thus giving her international acclaim.
Further Development Sketches
I decided to create contours for the Vitra Fire station. My plan is to focus on creating the Vitra fire station system and then just change the contour lines for each of the other places where the exhibition will be. After reading 'Architecture of Zaha Hadid in Photographs'. I was able to use a reference image from the book.
This image was very interesting for me because at the start when I first flicked through this book I did not understand what this image was. But after researching more I am able to understand that this image is the depiction of the Vitra Fire station. In this image you are able to see the direct correlation between the surroundings and the building.
This is my decided logo for now. My next steps will be looking at moving this onto Illustrator and think about font. However, I definitely want the design to be like this. I moved on from creating the logo to how I could incorporate the elements I have made into the rest of my visual system.
This is an idea of a way finding system for the exhibition. I used the contours from the Vitra fire station and put them into a map. I saw each coloured section as a different stage in the exhibition.
External Research
The Globe Theatre Rebranding - The Partners
I was inspired by this article I read on the Design Week's website which was about the Shakespeare's Globe theatre rebrand and how they used one element a print of a wooden 'o' inspired by the architecture of the theatre. This one element ties all the media together that is related to the theatre, creating a visual system. This is what gave me the idea to create one element that is the main thing that links everything together.
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