Hatch Design

hatchsf.com

Designer: Hatch Design, San Francisco
Source: How, April 2009, p153

This site is a great example of the nostalgic photograph look we discussed in class. All of the images have that Polaroid feel with the wide white border which includes identifying labels. The site opens with stacked images showing rotating slides of their work for several clients, all of which are clickable. The site has a very strong rectangular element to it, which contrasts nicely with their minimalistic logo of lowercase Helvetica-rounded letters.
The most interesting aspect of the site is the way they approached showcasing their work. On each client's "Polaroid", there are small thumbnails in the white border which bring up images of everything they've done for the client, including labels, packaging, logos, corporate identities, web sites, even photographs. I found this to be a really clever way of showing their diversity. I think it also speaks volumes to see how clients use them for all aspects of their marketing.

AKQA

www.akqa.com

Designer: AKQA, San Francisco
Source: 2009 How Design Annual, p163

The more you delve into this site, the more you appreciate its "bone structure". The site is solid in its foundation. It's set up like a t.v. with everything anchored and surrounded by a frame. Each click changes the inside information but the very diminutive buttons are permanently placed.
The site starts with a different splash page every time you enter the site. Each is quite unique — from a still shot of a cartoon with an annoying laugh to a video to a slide show.
The information is presented in a very minimalistic style with lots of white space and small, clean black type in close proximity. An unexpected element is a hand drawing on the other side of the screen introducing many of the pages by drawing a "play diagram" with a pencil leading the viewer to the title of the page. I found the contrast between the sketchy pencil and the clean white slate of structured type to be visually stimulating. The site looks sterile when it's dormant, but press a link and it always a surprise.
The contact page had a nice visual with a shadow of each city that the company had an office in located on the bottom of the page. By clicking either the city name or its corresponding shadow, the office location and information popped up. It makes you wonder if they choose a city to put an office in based on whether it has a recognizable skyline? Hmmm...

Cliff Bar 2 Mile Challenge web site

WWW.2milechallenge.com
Designer: Cobra Creative, San Francisco www.cobracreative.com
source: 2009 How Design Annual, p167

I was drawn to this web site's image in a magazine because of it's bold, clean graphics. I liked the complimentary color scheme and the asymmetric balance. The actual site is full of interactive elements, animation, and video. The navigation is very definitive and consistent throughout the site. The graphics are also consistent throughout the site.
Only one font is used, an easy-to-read sans serif, in only 3 type sizes.

Taking Shape

Fresh Ideas in Brochure Design, 1997, p29
Purdue University School of Education, Designer: Sue Miller, Annual Report

This is an annual report that was created for Purdue University School of Education. It was based on the idea that "although the school was young, it was quickly taking shape." Taking Shape became the theme and shapes were used to crop photos or frame quotes. Notice how the designer continued the circular shape of the cropped ball image in the triangle with a curved text path. This small line of text very effectively seems to anchor the large image to the rest of the composition and balances the opposing text. I also like the way the curved text was placed around the large circular image. The way in which the bottom text is purposely misaligned adds a lot of visual interest to the page as a whole. The fonts used are Futura and Garamond.

Is it or is it not?

TDC Annual Typography 29, p56
Design: Evan Gaffney, bookcover

I found this bookcover really intriguing. At first, I kept trying to figure out if the "receipt" was stapled on or if it really was part of the cover. It just seemed hard to conceive of creating a bookcover then "covering" it with a pretend receipt. But then when you read the title, you get an "a-ha!" moment and you realize the bookcover is brilliant. What better way to represent selling than with a receipt? Even more interesting is the fact that the "receipt" uses no numerals. The monotype font with its thin square characters and wide kerning give the impression of numbers on an adding machine tape, further enhanced by the long vertical right-justified placement. Finally, by keeping the pretend "cover" simple, attention is focused on the "receipt".
Fonts used include ITC Edwardian Script, Garamond FB, and FF Typestar.

Sculptured

TDC Annual Typography 29, p99
Design: Sonya Dyakova, book

This is such a perfect type treatment for a book about sculpture. The designer very effectively created what appears to be 3-D strips of paper lying on their edges to spell out the title. The letters themselves are "sculptures". The use of white on white reinforces the concept of a paper alphabet. I like the added details of "cuts" in the background that give the impression that the letters are literally pushed through the paper. Looking at this cover reminds me of standing playing cards up on edge to create "houses".

The font used is called Paper Alphabet created by this designer.

St. Lou Is

Lambert-St. Louis International Airport, St. Louis, Missouri

As I was riding down the escalator to baggage claim at the St. Louis airport, I looked up and saw this painted on the wall. (Yes, I looked pretty silly going back up the escalator to take the picture.) I loved the play on the city's name and the way the city's trademark arch is used to engage the viewer's eye by leading you from the St. Lou to the is. The gradient in the arch and the asymmetrical legs of the arch create a follow-the-bouncing-ball effect with the ball being the SQUARE dot of the i. How ironic is that!
The design's focal point is clearly the word is created by contrast in color and font weight and by its placement. The proximity of all the elements would lend this design to be easily used as a logo. The font is the ubiquitous Helvetica - it's everywhere!