Bespoke typeface and icons
Material Futures is a unique masters’ degree at London art school Central Saint Martins, dedicated to exploring the new and sustainable possibilities of design. Operating at the intersection of science, technology and creativity, its students move beyond disciplinary boundaries to use design as a tool for change and prototype radical solutions to today’s problems.
Posters
Inspired by the often futuristic nature of the course, the identity we designed for it is an adaptable system built around adventurous visual thinking. The logotype’s curved form references the shape of conical flasks found in science labs, and can be expanded into a complete graphic language with flexible logotype variations, a bespoke typeface, icons, wayfinding applications and patterns.
This works in combination with a new mark inspired by the view through a microscope in a scientific experiment: two substances overlapping as one petri dish is replaced with another. The mark doubles as a graphic device with a huge range of iterations, bringing together textural, organic shapes with graphic and photographic forms, with colour options extending from simple black-and-white to vibrant shades of green, blue and red. The ‘petri dish’ device also works particularly well in animations, bringing the identity to life on-screen.
The result is an identity that — much like the Material Futures course itself — brings the worlds of craft and science into contact.
Sketches
