Bronze Graphics, Illustration and Visual Communication Design · 2020
Typotect Corporate Identity
by Seulah Choi
- A' Design Award 2020 Bronze Winner in Graphics, Illustration and Visual Communication Design
- Awarded April 15, 2020
- CLIENT: Seulah Choi
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 11,431
- Verification code 09C40AA9B9 · Verify this award
About Typotect Corporate Identity
Typotect is a brand identity designed for a modern art museum dedicated to the work of Piet Zwart, a pioneer of modernism. The name combines the words typography and architect, reflecting the two fields in which Piet Zwart worked. The identity reinterprets three features found in his designs: three primary colors, thin linear elements and flat shapes arranged within open space. A thin red line appears at the top of each application, while blue and yellow fill the flat shapes. The identity is print based and is applied to posters, name cards, tickets and wall stickers.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- 'TYPOTECT' is a modern museum of 'Piet Zwart' who was a pioneer of modernism. The name of the museum is a mixed word with 'Typography' and 'Architect', due to his designer career. He used 3 primary colors, line and plane shape in his works. By reinterpreting his works, the identity of 'TYPOTECT' museum has designed. Modernism designers are still inspirationing many designers these days and I thought reinterpreting his works could give more inspirations to many people.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- This are print-based works. Poster was worked in 594(mm)x841(mm) but could be change in a same ratio. Name card is basically 50(mm)x70(mm).
- Tags
- branding, identity, communication, design, art museum, modern museum, museum, graphic, graphic identity
- Production Technology
- It is mostly print-based brand identity design. It could be printed on the paper(for example, namecard and ticket), or on a sticker so it can be decorated on the wall.
- Design Challenge
- After done with finding out the characteristics of his works and reinterpreting it, it was challenging how I could make this brand identity not only looking and feeling like his original works and careers but also new modern design museum. I tried to make it simple and kept using a linear shapes to show his work identity.
- Project Duration
- The project was started in 2016 in NewJersey and finished in March, 2020. The reason why it took so long is because I wanted to keep developing it and renewal it to keep it in the trend. The latest version of the proeject won the Silver Winner in Asia Design Prize 2019.
- Operation Flow
- Main characteristics of the project is using 3 primary colors, a linear shape and making a composition in the space. The light line which is mostly used with color red on the top of every brand application must used very thin stroke. Also color-based pain shape is better using color blue and yellow because it's less outlooking then red. Plain shape, reshaped square and a line must be used in logo with 3 main colors.
- Research
- For this project, I tried to go to all the modern museums in Newyork City. It gave me an idea of why people enjoys modern art and what makes people feel interesting about it. Also I researched about Piet Zwart by googling him and looking up by books. Basically he was famous designer so it was easy to find his pieces but it was hard go know his personal insights and thoughts. Reading books and some instructions about his design pieces helped me finding out and making up the identity of TYPOTECT museum. In conclusion, I could find out his main characteristics inside his works and could reinterpret his works for new type of modern museum branding.
- Inspiration
- When I was in NewJersey, studying graphic design, I learned about Piet Zwart who was known as a pioneer of modernism. I thought his works were very unique and shows his identity very well. He only used 3 primary colors mostly in his works. Also using a linear shapes and composition in his works were very attractive to me because he actually was a typo&graphic designer and also an architect. Inspired by this, I thought it would be fun interpreting his pieces and making an identity of Piet Zwart.
Colors of Typotect Corporate Identity
Design Interview about Typotect Corporate Identity
Piet Zwart, who was an architect and also a typography designer is the main principle and also the inspiration. I first knew him in a communication design class and got a chance to research more about him I thought his works were very fundamental and it could be the standard and the base of the modern design. That was why and how I chose him as my inspiration.
I always try to make story and logic in the design. For example, Piet Zwart used linear shapes and 3 primary colors and also made space into the basic shapes. Those characteristics were actually my research output and I try to put them into the graphic. This was how the main graphic theme like square type and line type were used in the poster and other design applications. This process is, for me, making a logic of the design and identity, and also putting story into it. Communicating and delivering the message is my main point of doing design so logically thinking and making up the story into it is what I aim for and what I always want to achieve.
I'm currently working as a designer in Seoul, but I aim to do some other creative activities.
The project started in 2016 when I was studying graphic design in New Jersey, USA. From research to making brand identity was done in that year. Logic and story based identity, like logo and color usage was done but I need to research more about museums because I felt like the museum branding I did need something different from other modern museums. I developed it in 2017, when I came back to South Korea and started to variate it. At this moment, color scheme changed because the previous one seemed like too much. Due to my graduation exhibition, 2017 and 2018 was so busy to make a development. I restart it on 2019-2020 while making my portfolio and finally I could put everything I intended. It took few years but I think I was actually trying hard to make it better and better every year.
It was started in the class but I developed it as a professional work to show other people about Piet Zwart.
I just did it for myself, not for other reasons. It's a concept design of new modern museum about Piet Zwart.
Absolutely, Piet Zwart's works. When I first saw his pieces, I realized why people calls him as a pioneer of modernism. He has that base and standard of modern graphic design, and I think it's because of he worked as an architect and typography designer. It made me interesting and thought it could inspire many designers if there's a museum about modernism with a certain person like Piet Zwart.
Piet Zwart himself, and also all the art museums in New York and New Jersey.
Everyone could be the target especially art and design major people.
Logic and story in the work.
It came up from Piet Zwart's career. He was an architect and also a typography designer. TYPOTECT is a mixed word from his career.
Adobe programs were used such as Illustrator and photoshop.
It has meanings and thoughts in every part of details. It is basically a 'logic' and a 'story'.
I did it by myself, but did talked a lot about Piet Zwart with classmates.
I actually planned some interactive design in the museum so I thought blocks I used for graphic can be shown on the wall or on the table so kids can enjoy some interactive activity in the museum.
Yes, definitely. I firstly research his works, and gather the image together. This process was how I find out 3 characteristics of his works which is linear, 3 primary color and making space into a shape. After that, I've been to a lots of art museums in New York city to see the identity was shown to people.
Reinterpreting his works were a bit challenging because he has his own type of graphic style and it was hard to focus on his work and also make new graphic style from original ones.
Piet Zwart is not as popular as other modernism designer in my country. Even though my works are neatly done, I thought it might be harder to persuade people from my country. That's why I decided to submit this work to global award which other different country people can understand and read the message.
I learned making my works into communication works, like, how to reorganize it to make others understand my work easily.
It is always challenging designer new things. I hope this could inspire me to go to next level.