Bryggen

It all started when…

I designed a new visual identity for culture house in Islands Brygge. I wanted to develop a flexible and coherent visual language that communicated the values of the culture house and adapted to diverse media channels. I sought to capture the essence and atmosphere of the place, make it visible to the surroundings, and support the future communication with the various stakeholders.

Research Phase

After our first day touring the culture house, I had four words jotted down in my notebook that would serve as the framework for my entire visual language: diversity, community, family, and assembly. It was clear from the beginning that this was a space where the community could come together, revolve around their values and events, and continue to express and evolve their interests, whether it be in the shape of concerts, dance recitals, support groups, or just a general meeting place.

Logo Design

I experimented with various names, styles, and shapes to represent the culture house. The space is officially known as the "Kulturehuset Islands Brygge" in Danish, but locals affectionally refer to it simply as "bryggen." In this way, the neighborhood really took ownership of the space — given that this is a community house, I thought the logo should reflect this local spirit. Thus, the logo revolves around the title "bryggen," and echoes the diversity, inclusivity, and joy that is so integral to the culture house. Along with the circle intersecting the square, the filled-in ellipse is adjustable with colors from the primary color palette. I used the "KBH" font, a font designed specifically for the city of Copenhagen; it was important for me to include the “Danish G” that is so specific to the KBH font and Copenhagen as a whole .

My process was circuitous and unrelenting, but ultimately very rewarding! Here is a glimpse into the logo evolution:

I ultimately settled on this master logo:

The logotype intersects the logomark to mirror the innovative approach that bryggen has to community building; the community culture house is original, inclusive, and brave. The logo is off balance, includes varying degrees of fill, and is meant to inspire a courageous, humble, imaginative, and inclusive brand identity.

The filled-in ellipse is positioned on the larger circle to look like a planet rotating on a fixed axis; metaphorically, this mirrors how members of bryggen revolve around the community like planets around a sun.

Logo Usage

The logo is dynamic and intended to be easily alterable to match the specific event at hand — given that the culture house is such a diverse space, the logo should also reflect its adaptability. Within this flexibility, however, there are a few rules; for one, the color of the filled-in ellipse can be changed, but only with colors from the primary color palette. The ”bryggen” name is a vital element of the logo, and it can only be applied when copied from the master files.

Because there is not an exclusion zone around the logo, elements maybe added to the logo for a specific occasion. Visual flourishes are permitted, however they cannot take away from the integrity of the original design. Flourishes may not extend more than the height and width of the small ellipse beyond the boundaries of the logo.The logo must remain recognizable, and additional graphics must be of the same weight and color. Take the Jazz By The Sea event logo for example:

Social Media Examples

Create a Creature Event

I also designed a poster for one of culture house's functions — "Create A Creature" is an event for for kids to make teddy bears using pieces of donated stuffed animals. All the elements in the poster come from letters in the KBH font; I just manipulated the size and orientation of the letters to create a creature of my own. This repurposed model of original font mirros the teddy-bear activity that it represents, creating a sense of continuity from creation, to display, to experience. I used bright colors from the primary color palette to emanate the lively, joyful atmosphere unique to the culture house.

Jazz By The Sea Event

My process of articulating the Jazz By The Sea solution is a story of growth, discomfort, and dedication: I started my designs with a very literal representation of virtual jazz by the sea, however I quickly realized that my trumpet players, vibrant color palette, and dynamic shapes had fallen into a trap of redundancy and confusion.

So, back to the drawing board, and this time I pursued my ideas with elegance first and foremost. I made my poster entirely out of the brightly colored bubbles, used a thin type, and prioritized white space, but still with no avail. There was one problem: I was lacking a narrative.

The “Aha” Moment

Everyone listens to music differently...

Which is why my solution to the visual language is not just “one size fits all.” My design is made up of a collection of posters that call upon similar motifs to illustrate the exuberance of jazz music. I used dynamic shapes that personify the sound of jazz music; the bubbles dance and flourish up the page just as a trumpet ascends a crescendo. It is intuitive, simple (hence the primary colors),and totally fun. My graphic solution takes various forms to represent the subjective experience of sound, united by the dynamic "bubble" motif.

These posters can be displayed all together or scattered throughout the city — they are similar enough to be recognizable, but different enough to be distinct. The logo and event information is situated in the same place in each of the posters to manifest a sense of elegance and consistency. The bubbles, text, and overall design is meant to feel organic and hand drawn.

Jazz By The Sea — Brought To Life on Social Media

The Instagram story prototype is especially important in bringing my design to life because it creates a virtual experience that is tactile, joyful, and fun. As the user physically taps through the Instagram stories, the bubbles come to life and spread up the screen like music erupting out of a saxophone. Consistency is key here, as the logo and information is in the same position in each iteration to retain the integrity and association of the design.