Saul Bass celebration animates Google’s name in styles, ranging from the designer’s best-known credit sequences, identities and posters. Photograph: Google/screen grab

Google has celebrated one of our favourite designers Saul Bass in one of their most elaborate google title animations yet. An animation in their title window takes you through some of Saul Bass most famous film titles, corporate identities and posters. Saul Bass was an American graphic designer and oscar winning filmmaker who inspired designers with his iconic style, creating distinctive designs for AT&T and United Airlines.

Bass created a simple, graphic and witty approach to design and his style is unmistakable.

Find out more about Saul Bass http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saul_Bass

It was 2 years ago when were first created Emissary Transition Group’s (ETG) brand. We’ve recently given them their second digital makeover. Here are some of the images of the second wave of their online branding. It was important that there was a clear, consistent message across all their media channels. We will be adding to this post in the near future.

 

Part of the process of creating 9 Jumeirah Group brand films was to develop a rich media guidelines pack in tandem, which would be used across all their Hotels and Resorts. It was important that this was in-tune with the photography style and the brand strategy. We call the final output ‘guidelines’ but they are flexible, not restrictive for Directors, DOP’s and production companies. It encompasses a range of corporate style elements from typography to composition style. Below are some examples. For more information about creating guidelines and photography styles that stand out contact: enquiry@airspacestudio.com

At AirSpace we have our own way of processing information and working with our partners. We worked closely with Alchemy Films, Bareface Model Agency, Magnet Photo Production and JBM Sound Studio to create the Jumeirah brand films.

AirSpace creates a new logo for  the YPO (Young Presidents’ Organisation), Dubai. The YPO is an a group of high-flying and exceptionally influential businessmen and women. The organisation connects interested parties with young successful chief executives chief executives in a global network unlike any other. Founded in 1950 in New York City by a young president named Ray Hickok, the organization unites approximately 20,000 business leaders in more than 120 countries.

Designed to look like a podium, the logo is inspired by reaching higher, elevating members to the next level.

Working on some new characters. We have not used Play-Doh before for this. Not sure quite what this was supposed to be, it was one of our first attempts. Held together with cocktail sticks. If anyone has any better ideas about stopping these things from falling over let us know – enquiry@airspacestudio.com

We recently worked with multi-award winning photographer Richard Allenby-Pratt on his Abandoned exhibition. Above is the brochure we created, ultra minimal to show off the imagery. Richard’s exhibition was held at Shelter within AlSerkal Avenue, Al Quoz during the Art Dubai week.

The concept behind the exhibition and in Richard’s own words…

In the year 2017 Dubai was abandoned by all but a small number of Bedouin origin families. Before leaving, the caretakers of the UAE’s zoos, wildlife parks and private animal collections opened the gates and cages of their facilities. Some of the animals refused to leave their accustomed accommodations and died there, but many escaped out onto the empty streets.

… If you’d like to find out more about the exhibition or Richard’s work visit: http://www.allenby-pratt.com/

If you’re concerned that the world might come to an end today, check out Huffington Post’s post-apocolyptic art feature. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/21/apocalypse-art-best-mayan-2012_n_2342791.html

How graphic designers can help to solve Police investigations…

With the increasing popularity of mobile phones around the world and the huge amounts of data that the telecom companies are collecting from users it is possible to use this data. It can be used to build profiles, track mobile phone users and create a phone record of calls for billing.

In a recent TED talk by Malte Spitz about how much data telecom companies store on their customers movements, he highlights the breach of privacy and demonstrates how the data can track customers lives minute-by-minute (what they are doing and who they are speaking to) with the use of animated graphic charts (info-graphics).

So, it is possible to track people and listen to their conversations, the Police and governments agencies have been doing this for decades. However, this raw data has a lot more potential and designers have the ability to reinterpret data by creating graphical charts. This is not simply about making bar charts and graphs, it is about visualizing the data to help make sense of things that might have otherwise appeared invisible.

By reinterpreting this data into info-graphics designers are able to map out mobile phone and internet customers lives, build profiles and compare their habits over a long period (telecoms keep customers data for a minimum of 6 months according to Malte Spitz (TED talk). Imagine doing the same to suspects in a court case. Confirming or disproving an alibi by using animated graphics that bring to life their mobile phone data – what they did, where they have been, how they travelled, whom they have spoken to, where they stayed and how long. The same graphic picture can be built for all the people they spoke to and that is where it could get interesting (or scary depending on who is using this information). Similarities can be made and compared, perhaps a number of the people the suspect spoke to have been making similar journeys or are creating similar patterns that are now evident through the information graphics. Perhaps it is then possible to find out if there are leaders in a group or a ‘big boss’.  It is possible to map society in its entirety.

Graphic software could be developed that allows Police Officers and Detectives to input customer telecom data that builds a virtual picture of that persons life. We don’t need telepaths like the ones in Philip K. Dick’s novel, Minority Report, we have the technology now. Can these info-graphics be used responsibly or would it breach everyones privacy. It would be a nice idea if graphic design could help uphold the law and convict the guilty, but in the wrong hands freedom and privacy could be lost as well.

By AirSpace Studio.

AirSpace creates brand strategy, naming and creative for Viovia CIC. An international organisation that specialises in providing road safety culture, management systems and technology consultancy to organisations worldwide.

More people die from road deaths than any know disease or natural disaster. Over 1.5 million people dies on the roads each year. Viovia are not only taking steps to improving global road safety, they are an authority on it. Founded by Andrew Pearce (former CEO of the Global Road Safety Partnership – Red Cross), Viovia are fighting road deaths and injury by targeting organisations that rely heavily on transportation (i.e. logistics companies); creating cost saving solutions, increasing business performance, and improving road safety to help save lives.

We worked closely with the Viovia team to understand their unique business – that of saving lives. In partnership, we have built a lasting brand strategy, business opportunities and a strong business foundation. AirSpace conducted interviews, performed a competitive analysis of their industry, competition and identified a distinctive visual approach. The challenge was to to create a functional graphic system and present complex information in a bold, simple, and engaging format.

The solution: A graphic system concerned with pattern recognition “It’s about looking for patterns to find effective solutions. Patterns exist in everything around us, it’s in recognising the patterns that we can make sense and define different – languages, cultures, societies, human nature, traffic systems. Viovia guides you through the complexities, enabling you to make sense of road safety.” explains AirSpace founder Mark Woodward, “We created a bespoke graphic, display typeface which played on the idea of pattern recognition. The typeface also works as an ownable graphic system for Viovia. It has inspired a series of related illustrations that compliment the mythical brand identity that we crafted.”

To see more design work for Viovia goto: http://www.airspacestudio.com/news/new-brand-creation-for-viovia/

Mark, Joel, Nick and Jmaes out and about filming in Rome for Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts international properties.

Nick Davidson on the rooftop of Jumeirah Frankfurt.

The Team in Istanbul, Jumeirah Pera Palace (Left-right: Hussein, Gill, Joel, Raziena, Mark, Nick, James, Erdal), in Taksim.

Back in Dubai we are also on location with Katarina Premfors shooting stills for Jumeirah Dubai and Abu Dhabi properties.

We recently did a creative lunch n’ learn with the heads-of-dept at Emicom Dubai. We also provided some great curry courtesy of our very own chef-in-residence – San Chumchit. Thanks to the Emicom team for taking the time to meet with us.