MCA Wayfinding Signage
2011
Project Information
Internal and external directional signage designed intuitively with iconography that is colour coded to match the walls of the learning destination. Chevrons point the way; reducing in length the closer you reach destination, until you arrive when you are presented with a Google style place marker. Icons, developed with MCA comply with legislative requirements helping people find their destination with ease.
Fields
Design, Signage
- "A partnership approach to introducing signage to a brand new build that was in keeping with its style, but clear and well thought through. Many visitors have commented positively about it and most important - it works!"
Susan Webster, Programme Director
The Manchester Communication Academy
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Hanging banners were implemented to physically filter light from skylights and audio between levels. They carry inspirational messages with hidden meta messages that encourage development in a number of different areas to create a positive legacy. The dandelion seeds blowing in the wind are evocative of capturing wishes and dreams from childhood. The quotations help to encourage pupils to realise their potential.Graphic Design, Typography, Interior Design2011 -
Design and build of North West Manchester CLC’s first fully networked ‘intelligent classroom’ enabling up to three groups to be taught simultaneously, using interactive screens, directional audio, specialist lighting and modular furniture to support flexible teaching methods.
A full case study documenting the refurbishment is available to view at http://influencedesign.com/clc/Interior Design, Furniture Design2011 -
AGMA, the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities came to Influence for a rebrand. Having worked with AGMA on their annual report for a number of years it became clear that their previous branding was not functioning as efficiently as it should when used in certain situations. The AGMA logo has always featured a pyramid of 10 cubes, each of those cubes representing one of the 10 Borough Councils of Greater Manchester.
Our job was to keep this synonymous mark intact, but recreate the typography to create a new, modern logo that would increase legibility and reproduce better at small sizes.Branding, Graphic Design, Typography2012 -
Three mailers were designed creatively within strict corporate guidelines to promote Avnet's open storage solution.
The brand unlocks, and four combinations of a short message can be read, supported by detailed information promoting benefits with contact details.Print Design, Creative Direction, Design2012 -
Digital Applications International (DAI) required an online strategy to promote their corporate profile and business units, together or independently.
The solution comprises a corporate website linked to five separate business unit websites. The design complements the style of DAI’s applications to provide familiarity for existing users and introduce the brand to new prospects.
A bespoke content management system (CMS) enables senior management to add or remove content across all sites and add editors to business unit sites. Editors have a choice of templates to use for different combinations of imagery and text.
The corporate site provides an overview of the company, sectors worked for and services provided. The business unit sites promote products and services, supported with case studies.
Users can navigate to any business unit site via the corporate site’s sub navigation, and return via a corporate link in the footer, or by clicking the DAI logo. Site maps, created dynamically by the CMS, can be toggled on or off. A breadcrumb trail appears across a bar below the main navigation. Slide decks cycle through imagery and text teasing users to discover more. A contact form, which self validates, enables expressions of interest. Office locations, shown using Google Map technology, help users find their way with ease. A search bar helps find site-specific information.
Available at http://dai.co.uk [Accessed 04/10/2012].Graphic Design, Web Design, Web Development2012 -
The pace of the advert accelerates with the rhythm of the soundtrack, cutting from game play to logo build. The type 'Have' comes together in two halves, in sync to the sound of a rifle loading. This repeats for the words 'you', 'got', 'time' and 'to'. The final word in the title of this game, ‘kill’ is disallowed by advertising standards. In its place the four PlayStation symbols shoot in to the sound of rifle shots, quickly followed by a falling sheet of flame to unveil the game’s full new branding.Animation, Storyboarding, Visual Effects2012 -
The government back the launch of a new qualification, the Foundation Degree in New Media Design, which combines academia with industry.
Written and designed innovatively for this innovative course, a countdown to launch theme with space travel reference is employed to promote benefits. A stylised space visor computer screen inspires the form. This die cut 6-page leaflet is held together with a rivet, so that it may be fan opened. Printed using two metallic and two fluorescent inks, a spot UV highlights the countdown and titles.
Featured by Marketing and Manchester Evening News.Graphic Design, Print Design, Art Direction2011 -
An articulate blend of design and marketing principles went into this direct mail piece. The perforated zip on the cover presents the theme immediately and creates an interactive element which, when torn, opens the leaflet up.
Celebrity presence enforces the commercialism while succinct copy presents the messages in a clear, easily digested way.
Cloth textures are overlaid with citrus colours and contact information. A simple, detachable return card is included based on a clothing tag.
The mailer achieved 5.75% conversion rates, quadruple the anticipated 1.25%.
Featured by Creative Review.Print Design, Packaging, Graphic Design2011 -
Innerform raise awareness of their product lines through a series of full-page advertisements in contemporary lifestyle magazines. The grid structure for these is based upon the golden square, the pattern that nature adopts for growth and development, lending itself to a naturally appealing layout. The products being promoted, key to the design conscious audience, are arranged with careful consideration. Colour ways signalling brand and contact details are taken from the imagery for harmonious balance.Advertising, Graphic Design, Typography2011 -
Kiss FM required a new graphic language to speak boldly with its audience, raising awareness through a series of press advertisements. A strong yet versatile grid structure was developed to carry messages clearly with impact, maintaining continuity.
The first promotes their five distinct music genres, each allocated a colour and icon. Corporate colours, yellow and red, feature predominantly.
In the second, colour and typography adapt to suit an American themed clubbing competition.
The last advert shows the broadcast areas of Kiss102 and 105. These are represented through expanding concentric circles; colour coded to their music genres.
Brand language continues through the design of folding fliers that carry air play times.Advertising, Graphic Design, Icon Design2012 -
Contemporary matt-laminated preview invitations featuring a detail of Leonardo da Vinci's work were delivered within parchment style envelopes, similar to the material of the work. Colour ways are taken directly from the artwork with typography working creatively within corporate guidelines. Guests were often surprised to discover the beautiful detail on exhibition is little more than thumb sized in reality, helping to make Leonardo da Vinci’s incredible mastery remarkably memorable.Graphic Design, Print Design, Typography2012 -
The 2005 Annual Dinner invitations celebrate Art of the Garden exhibition within. Printed full colour onto a textured gold card these were delivered within matching white gold envelopes. Inside the invitations are printed additionally with white gold ink to create cohesion. The outer cover text features a petal shaped asterisk creating intrigue and linking typographically to the theme.Graphic Design, Print Design, Typography2012 -
Save the date cards were required to promote the annual dinner, to be held within the art gallery where Paul Morrison had created a wall mural. His artwork divided well into three sections and subsequently the format evolved. Printed matt black onto an ultra high gloss stock the quality is stunning. Typography within creatively adhered to corporate guidelines. Specially sourced matt black envelopes complemented the finish.
Following this the three sections of the artwork were applied separately to individual A5 invitations, to enable the gallery to identify different audiences upon arrival easily.Branding, Print Design, Typography2012 -
Working creatively within brand guidelines highly considered typography rests within a balanced grid structure to communicate clearly.
Printed black over white, a champagne silver foil is used for the title.
The image divides neatly into three and is used on the front of the A5 invitation cards creating a series.Graphic Design, Print Design, Typography2012 -
Contemporary typography in juxtaposition to a Grade 1 listed building signals the gallery. Further signage and printed material adopt this corporate style.Branding, Graphic Design, Typography2012 -
A colour coded gamut diagram helps to coordinate requirements, working with people from different areas of gallery activity.
Work is designed to comply with corporate branding guidelines.Branding, Print Design, Typography2012 -
Designed to appeal to a visually literate audience, a style magazine approach is taken. Typography takes its structure from the elements of the face. The artists on exhibition are spoken of adjacently to the lips with viewing times listed below the eyes. The artwork is treated to various print techniques, using silver and charcoal grey inks, to accentuate the grid structure.Graphic Design, Print Design, Typography2012 -
A custom made touch screen kiosk, following the same form as signage, enables visitors and staff to sign in via a simple interface, which cross references to the Academy CRB database, streamlining the sign in process.Installation Design2011 -
Abstract shapes rotate at different ratios, like a clockwork ballet in the sky, to repeatedly form the brand.Animation, Engineering, Set Design2012 -
New CMS website for brand new North Manchester High School, the Manchester Communication Academy. Built using Expression Engine, the site is extremely easy and quick for the staff at the Academy to update.Web Design, Web Development, Illustration2011 -
Ocean Software’s official Mission: Impossible game is promoted to retailers globally.
The mailer opens back to front, creating immediate intrigue. Inspired by the film, dark content unravels within. An iconic burning fuse underlines the message, ‘Good morning Mr.Phelps, the official Mission: Impossible game from Ocean is about to…’
The facing right hand page shows the game’s character viewing a tablet. The message continues upon this, ‘update: www.ocean.com’. This remains visible as the packaging is opened, encouraging visits to the website.
The left hand page opens and the message follows the fuse, turning a right angle.
To heighten interest, artefacts from the game appear within the dark text above, ‘Expect the Impossible’, styled on the title sequence from the film.
A 45-degree fold opens to reveal text within the message, detailing the game and listing key benefits. This is designed with reference to the film, where through a twist of fate, Phelps uncovers previously concealed events, to reveal the truth.
An exploding paper fold bursts open to conclude with the classic line ‘This message will self destruct in five seconds…’
An enclosed promotional CD celebrates the game in detail, inspiring retailers to stock the title.
Featured by Creative Review.Advertising, Copywriting, Packaging2012 -
To celebrate the Olympics, Stockport Council ran an illustration competition across the borough for school children to draw a design in black and white to be transferred onto a relay baton. These batons are then used for a relay extravaganza running simultaneously across different parks leading up to the games. I co-judged the illustrations and created an Olympic family by treating the work to various processes. The final images are produced in high resolution to enable large format prints for exhibition and legacy.Digital Art, Graphic Design, Illustration2012 -
Flash game built especially for a trade fair in Las Vegas USA. Users answer a series of questions with the aim of getting the highest score, the user with the highest score each day receiving a prize.
The game requires that all users give their contact details and so is a great tool for creating a mailing list of potential customers.
We created a character / online avatar to present the game in a Las Vegas style gameshow format. The use of a custom soundtrack also adds to the theme.
The game is linked to a database which holds all the user information and scores, and also holds a large number of questions, meaning that there is a large number of possible combinations of questions.
The scoring system uses a multiplier meaning that the more consecutive questions you answer correctly, the bigger your score.
While the game is left idle, the character tries to entice users to play by showing them the prizes available. This is interspersed with facts about the company. This game is playable online at: http://influencedesign.com/perkinsGame Design, Illustration, Interaction Design2011 -
Project Box is a website that allows teachers to upload, view and share exemplar case studies via the web. Teachers can view other exemplars for inspiration or upload their own case studies for others to see. Accepted media ranges from MS Word documents to Flash Video and Podcast. The interface enables users to drag and drop media quickly and easily into the relevant sections. Colour coding identifies subject areas with supporting related background imagery.Web Design, Web Development2012 -
A community based social networking site that enables users to promote events, share news, set up sub-groups, chats, activity stream, share photos, voice opinion in comments, forums and blogs, bring stories to life with video and extend reach with built-in integration of Facebook, Twitter, FlickR and YouTube.
Available at http://stockportnetwork.com/ [Accessed 30 April 2012]Branding, Web Design, Web Development2012 -
This site features a Content Management System built using Expression Engine, allowing the client to display images, text and video as well as add downloadable documents in the form of .pdfs and .doc files. This website was built for The Whitworth Art Gallery to promote their groundbreaking ‘Subversive Spaces’ exhibition.Web Design, Web Development2011 -
Urbis, meaning 'of the city' in Latin, is the world’s first urban museum. Manchester City Council required a call for investment to be made.
A direct mail piece was developed to promote its benefits including architectural plans, the physical build, surrounding environment and culture. The cover features imagery representing these, tessellating around a central panel containing the text ‘the building of the modern city’, interlocking to build the full picture for investors to open up to. Within the mailer these groups of images appear on separate pages with supporting detailed information. Details of how investors can respond, is shown clearly within a strip across the inner double page spread.
Printed using two special metallic inks and a spot UV, the finishes complement the physical nature of the building with elegant prestige.Print Design, Creative Direction, Design2012 -
Virgin required a fresh look at cd packaging for a specialist promotional compilation, with direct distribution to the leading producers / managers in the UK. Matt laminated card folds and locks into concentric circles forming a poppy shaped alternative to the traditional cd cover.
Featured by Creative Review and Packaging News.Graphic Design, Print Design, Packaging2011 -
Lynn Hershman's exhibition 'Autonomous Agents' at The Whitworth Art Gallery guides you through her career. To brand the journey I decided upon the font OCR A, which was designed in 1968 to be recognised by computers and humans. This retrospective quality is heightened by selective use of colour. An initial transition is made by using full wall height vertical barring of complementary colour ways that reduce in width as you journey through, with a subtle op art quality.
Around the corner a set design of a New York flat lures you in. This belongs to one of many of the artists multiple personae, who suffers agoraphobia and has spent years in her flat. To heighten the sense of depression the perspectives are exaggerated by the walls and ceiling being drawn in. These are covered with layers of antique wallpaper, and aged lining paper pealing at the edges to metaphorically reference the different personalities, and exacerbate the desperation within. Sourcing lonely vintage pieces completed the experience, transporting the viewer to engage with the space and experience.
The literature accompanying the show reflects that Hershman is a pioneer in the use of emergent technology. To support branding the colours red green blue are used as RGB is synonymous with digital and film media.Set Design2012