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e City In FluxVolume 1 - Research

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e City In FluxMatthias Grauwinkel Max Dudler

is ordered and structured all for its functional purpose. But along with this function is a hint of elegance and beauty. I love this about Berlin and its design work, its priority is function but there is always a charm that is built and entwined within it. It is not like it has been stuck on either to cover up its basic form, it is entwined within it and makes the functionality itself beautiful,

This was a photography project of the Central Library building at the Humboldt University in Berlin which was built by Max Dudler Architecture. The building itself is breathtaking because of its grid-like structure. Everything is set out equally on a grid: the isles, the chairs, the windows and the walls. It shows the nature and character of Berlin and how everything

rather than giving it plastic surgery. The photography work by Grauwinkel shows this style perfectly, his photos are simple and frame the subjects equally in a symmetrical line right down the photo, the photos have a small amount of beauty which was created by the simple framing of the photos.

Website: www.maxdudler.comArtist: Max DudlerArtist Position: UnknownProject: Abspannwerk Wilhelmsruh BerlinProject Time: 2004-2008URL: http://www.maxdudler.com/32-0-Abspannwerk+Wilhelmsruh+Berlin.html

Website: BehanceArtist: Matthias GrauwinkelArtist Position: BerlinProject: Jacob Und Wilhelm Grimm ZentrumPosted: 26/09/14URL: https://www.behance.net/gallery/20065329/Jacob-und-Wilhelm-Grimm-Zentrum

This building which was originally built by Heinrich Muller in 1920 was renovated by Max Dudler Architecture. And like the library you can see a reoccurring theme

of repeated patters within the building. This building does not use the modern materials the library was built with because of its age, however the style is still there and has survived the

turbulent 20th Century. This style of embedded beauty in systems and functions is seen throughout German and in particular Berlin culture.

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e City In FluxExperimental JetsetA case study in the book Design Diaries, was about the popular design studio Experimental Jetset and their identity project for the 104 exhibition space in Paris. Experimental Jetset talk about how their time in Amsterdam is a huge influence on their work. They describe how anarchist groups and movements have given the city a subconscious, a feeling about it which effect the people within. They go on to say a quote

from Karl Max which is ‘something which shapes humans, must be made by humans.’ Experimental Jetset simplified this by saying that such a space is made human when it becomes influenced and changeable according to the cultures of the time.

Experimental Jetset describe how they are also influenced by little things like the ideals of the Punk culture, fold out record sleeves of Crass, the dripping blood logo of the Cramps, the propaganda

sleeves made by foetus and then the English new wave comic magazine which told you how to print your own comics on a Xerox machine. They like their independent and defiant views, and how they celebrate the little things. These influences are at the centre of Experimental Jetset’s work. They use all these influences and tunnel and filter them down into their finished work, and they recycle influences so to speak, it all feeds back into their work process.

Book: Design Diaries - Creative processes in Graphic DesignAuthor: Lucienne Roberts/Rebecca WrightPublisher: Lawrence KingSection: Experimental JetsetPublished: 2010Location: London

Website: http://www.experimentaljetset.nlProject: 104 / Le Cent Quatre 1 Project Time: 2007URL: http://www.experimentaljetset.nl/archive/104-2007

judged on how it functions and looks as a whole system, how each individual piece of design interacts with each other to inform and direct ideas or instructions. However from what I see and hear from people here in Britain they notice the qualities of an individual piece of design and so disregard the design of functional systems as boring or pointless as there is not an immediate visual stimulant to look at. These design systems then go unnoticed and taken for granted.

For the 101 space’s sign systems Experimental Jetset proposed that they display signs on a free standing frames of scaffolding to show how it is always in a state of development and change. The space is adaptable and changeable therefore supporting the claim from Karl Max earlier.

Whilst talking about the project they recalled a Frenchman describing a designer as an artist. They see a piece of design as an artwork which can stand alone as a visual stimulant, but with no informative function. However in the Netherlands where Experimental Jetset are based, see this idea as absurd as they believe creativity should be applied to a systematic and structured purpose. French designer Pierre Bernard put this into perspective by saying ‘France have beautiful flowers, whereas the Netherlands have beautiful gardens. The Netherlands look at the whole structure as a piece of good design, whereas France look at the individual qualities in a single piece of design.

I personally agree with the viewpoint of the Netherlands , good design is

After looking at the proposed logo for the 104 space I was a bit sceptical over the weight they chose for the sign systems. They use a very bold weight which at a distance looks too thick and the big bold black strokes start to blend together, it sort of fits for display purposes but not for informative signs and information I would have stuck to the regular or basic bold weight. At the end of the day signs need to be readable, artistic values come second on the list of priorities.

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e City In FluxExperimental Jetset

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e City In FluxExperimental Jetset

Joachim Baan Me & FriendsJoachim Baan founded the company ‘Another Company’ in 2007 however he now works under his own name. He aims to take communication and ‘design it in the broadest sense of the word.’

His work his work for the RIVM Gym is fascinating, he has built a large gold raster which separates the gym area from the corridor. The gym itself is just a huge

Me and friends is based in New York and was founded by Matthias Ernstberger in 2011. He has received various awards and has been recognised by many large publication, including the New York Times.

One of their projects which caught my eye was their cover design for Surface Magazine. The typography struck me first because of its cut off point at the bottom. When I thought about why they would do that I realised that it caught my eye in the first place because it was cut off. So why did the cut off point catch my eye? Well in a time now where there

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e City In Fluxbright white space so the raster is the only form of colour in the room. The raster was inspired by gym lockers and their vented doors and side panels, he uses this and a variety of the density of the holes to create images of trophies. It is in his words, a re-invention of the dull trophy cabinet.

The thing I love about this installation is how it is the only form of colour in the

is stunning contemporary typography everywhere, we have become sensitised to it, so having an amazing typeface no longer cuts it in the fight for attention in an urban environment. So what they have done here is cut the bottom off the type which makes it unique but in a very simple, non cluttering way. The interrupted flow of letters catches your eye as it flows along the type and is interrupted, this makes you look at the type longer which makes you more likely to pick up the magazine than any other on the shelf.

I see this in architecture and print too. An A6

room, it screams at you “hey I’m right here!” IT is like a lot like most modern architecture you see in cities, they usually have a bland face but have a bright dash of colour, like eyeliner or lipstick but for a building. These buildings make me think of classy women: pretty features with just a touch of colour here and there to enhance the features.

postcard/leaflet is now a very common sight, so the masses are sensitised to it, so if you cut out a shape which interacts with the design it becomes the only unique shape amongst the straight line cut postcards, and so it then catches your eye. It is the same concept with architecture, especially tall skyscrapers. Skyscrapers are typically tall rectangular shapes which blend into the skyline, but recently architects are adopting new shapes like the Gherkin and the Shard in London.

Website: www.joachimbaan.comProject: RIVM GymURL: http://www.joachimbaan.com/project/rivm-gym/

Website: www.meandfriends.comProject: Surface GymURL: http://www.meandfriends.com/#/work/all/SURFACE_COVERS1

Bleed Brian Cairns

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e City In FluxImmediately from going on their website I can see that Bleed like to encourage interaction with their designs. This makes their website appear more interesting and makes you stay on their site longer as you try to figure out the interactive features, however I do not know how it reflects the ideals of their work.

A design project which caught my eye was the

identity for ALU-Leave Your Mark. They have used a mix of handwritten type, stencil art and ‘roughed up’ photography to create a collage style of designs which they apply to various mediums including business cards, books and window installations. This work gives me the sense of an urban city and how remnants of posters and graffiti layer up over each other to create a unique

and messy texture which has become an icon of cities and the more urbanised areas. But among the chaos of the layers a hierarchy is established using colour, so the bright red typography stands out at first because of the contrast between it and the dull black, grey and lighter colours of the collage behind.

Website: www.bleed.noProject Date: 2007Project: ALU Leave your MarkURL: http://www.bleed.no/#alu

Website: www.briancairns.comProject: Dwell Magazine - Moroso FactoryURL: http://www.briancairns.com/folio08.html

Title: Typography SketchbooksAuthor: Stephen Heller & Lita TalaricoPublisher: Thames & HudsonDate: 2011Section: Brian Cairns

In his section of the book Brian talks about how he records the things that inspires him during his daily grind. He takes photographs as it is a quick recording method which is convenient for his busy day. He can be running for a train and if he sees something he will take a quick photo to look over later. If he sees something that he cant capture with a photo he does a very

quick sketch in what he calls ‘visual shorthand’ that only he understands. He then condenses down all the information he has recorded and filters it into a visual conclusion. He says the connection between his visual recordings and the finished product is not always clear.

His typography work is focused more on

the aesthetic rather than the message it is communicating. He describes type as an expressive image or shape, and is no longer used just for the purpose of communication.

This project of his caught my eye because of the illustrations which had been laid over the image. I like how he included silhouettes of the whorehouse over the fabric templates in the image, he did this to reflect the warehouse environment,

it gives a little insight into the product which you would not usually see. I also like the tools at the bottom of the design and the sketches/ mock up images which are inside the factories, it makes the image look like the workshop, it

really sets the scene for the viewer.

This would work great for my project as I could show the parts of the city that you can’t capture in one image.

Nevile Brody

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Title: The Graphic Language of Neville Brody 2Author: Jon WozencroftPublisher: Thames & HudsonDate: 1997Section: Fuse

I found some posters Neville Brody designed for his publication Fuse. Issues six and seven discuss how we communicated in the 90’s and how out language is translated into endless amounts of code, they also highlight the use of code to hide information. They also show how our communication system is very fragile and what chaos would unfold should it collapse.

For the Fuse 6 poster Neville Brody has set out a sequence of codes laid out on a modular grid in

the background of the poster. On the forefront of the poster is some simple information about the current publication, this typography is quite simple and holds no hidden or subliminal meaning. The background imagery (including the code) however reflects the subject of the publication perfectly. When I think about coding and encrypting, I think of white walled government buildings with computer monitors displaying thousands of lines of coding. The cool blue and grey tones of the background

are like a blurred image of this imaginary scene, it is like Brody has captured the scene I described in a simple mix of colours and grid system of type.

I love how Brody simplified the subject of the issue, plus it’s scenario into a simple visual image which sits quietly in the background and lets you read the main information before it is noticed. And once you notice this background image you get a feeling about the atmosphere of codes and masses of information.

The Fuse 7 poster is also very interesting. This Publication is on how our communication systems are very fragile and the possibility of information overload. Again at the forefront of the poster is some simple display type and information, however what I am interested in is the background imagery. The colour for a start, red, when put with the context gives a feeling of danger or alarm, in this case panic at the possible collapse of communications. This combined with the streaky pattern which to me looks like wires or a close up of a fingerprint makes me think of danger and the

complexity of the problem. If the pattern is in fact wires then they could be showing the complex infrastructure of telephone lines and internet servers. If these collapse you can only imagine the mammoth task of finding and fixing the problem. Intertwined with the pattern is an image of a hand which looks to be pushing through the wires, or maybe it is being engulfed by them? Perhaps this suggests we are being overwhelmed by technology and information, if the system was to collapse, would we collapse with it?

I like how both posters perfectly represent the

topics of the publications by using subtle colours and imagery, this captures the atmosphere of an imaginary scene. This atmosphere displayed by the posters acts as a link between the viewer and the deeper story/meaning.

I want to adopt this method of connection. I want to connect the viewer of my work to the sounds, sights and emotions of a city. I want them to see a story or a certain feeling of a city through my designs.

Nevile Brody

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Nevile Brody

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Fl@33

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e City In FluxFl@33 designed a magazine, website and CD ROM which presents their observations of a city. The project highlights the ‘magic’ of the urban scene and how these cranes help with the constant change of cities and urban areas, however they are un-noticed by the masses. The cranes contribute to a ‘cityscape metropolis’ and Fl@33 go on to describe cities as being in a larval stage which is what an insect or animal goes through to progress into an adult, like a caterpillar developing into a butterfly.

The website Trans-port is interesting as it is very basic in its design. However it allows me to interact with the daily grind of a crane operator, each step of the story shows abstract imagery on screen reflecting

the atmosphere of working with such a machine.

I tried looking for clips of the CD ROM and I found it on their website. They say at the beginning of the clip that Trans-it explores ‘the relations of industrial structures and natural environments.’ First of all it shows a sequence of silhouette industrial shapes changing from one to another, like a city metamorphosing and changing, like the Laval stage I mentioned earlier. In another City-Birds it plays bird sounds and accompanying video alongside the sounds and a clip of people walking in a busy area chatting. This shows how we as a crowd of people sound like a flock of birds. When I think about it we act like a birds

in flight when we move about in a busy crowd, we move among each other with little collisions, even though we don’t know what each other is doing. A few other clips compare water and electricity, iron cranes and tall flowers in a field and how concrete slabs being moved through the air by cranes look like clouds in the wind. It shows other examples but their connection is unclear to me.

I love this observation of how the urban environment, particularly in the stages of change, can be compared to the movements and sounds of nature. It shows how we are still another species of animal, which many people, myself included, seem to forget.

Website: www.flat33.comProject: Trans-form, Trans-it, trans-port.orgDate: 2001URL: http://www.flat33.com/index.php?page_id=36&searchString=trans-form

My Observation of a City John Hudson

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Title: An A-Z of Type DesignersAuthor: Neil MacmillanPublisher: Laurence KingDate:2006Location: LondonSection: John Hudson - Global Text and Type: a considered snapshot

In an interview with Non-Format, they explain how the fast pace of change has developed technologies which allow more people to express themselves through design. It has also increased the diversity of design and art styles out there.

I see this all the time, not just in design, but in day to day life. With the rapid development of technology you get people who have not yet caught up and those why have been swept along with it. There is a big divide on how people live their lives which creates a fascinating mixture of personalities, especially in dense and visually rich cities. An example of this I see on the 7:44 train to Huddersfield on a morning at Wakefield Westgate, I see people using their phones to check train times, buy tickets and organising their lives on social media. But on the opposite end of the spectrum I see people reading physical newspapers, writing in physical notebooks and

checking a clockwork watch on their wrist, these people probably have their phone turned off in their pocket too. In-between these two extremes I see a mix of people and habits in different combinations, and it is wonderful to see.

I have also noticed when walking about in a city you see two things, the physical scene which consists of the buildings, people and other objects like bins etc. You need to see this to find your way around and to have basic ability to function in the environment. But you also have a second layer to see, and that is the information and typography on street signs, shop windows, fly posters and advertisements. You only see this layer of the city when you purposefully look for it, otherwise it blends in and is absorbed by your subconscious mind, for example when you are looking for a certain shop you start to see similar shops which are usually near it and you see people’s shopping

bags from that shop which helps you zone in on it, you also notice city and shopping centre maps you would otherwise ignore. It is like a double vision which you can switch in and out of like night vision in a video game.

I have found that a city is like a big jumble sale of typography and visuals in which everyone is arguing for space and your attention. For example you see fly posters which have been pasted over each other, then some parts are ripped of to reveal what is underneath. I call this typography artefacts, things that are weathered and old, but have been accidentally dug up to reveal long lost gems. It is also like litter, Mc Donalds fry boxes blown into a pile with Coca Cola cans and a Walkers crips packet from 10 years ago which it colour has not faded in the sun, there are also newspapers dating back months ago. All these are typographic and visual artefacts which bind and knit the city together.

A sentence from this section of the book caught my eye. It read: ‘90% of languages face possible or certain extinction in the next hundred years.’ Hudson describes this as ‘a reduction of cultural global diversity of an unprecedented scale,’ which reminded me of a thought I once had.

I thought about what it would have been like a few thousand years ago when you looked at the horizon not knowing what was out there, or if anything was out there at all. You would not think about a civilisation different to your own, you would presume everything was the same because you knew no different. In the modern age however

the whole world and all of its diverse wonders and cultures are now connected together through technology. But now because of this connection, cultures are being diluted by foreign influences and some cultures and now blending together, like the whole of Europe for example, British culture is not so different to German or Italian culture, they have their subtle different habits, but on the face they are the same.

So Hudson my be right if this trend carries on, eventually language and cultures will fade out or merge as the worldwide culture develops.

I have noticed this worldwide change in a

city too, among individual people. I only see crowds of people,not individuals. They all look the same and all seem to be doing the same thing, I don’t see any individuality or identity. Then knowledge of ones self is being lost as everything now looks the same, so when someone shows an individual interest or style they are frowned upon and ridiculed. I want to show the individuality that can still be found in a city and show it as something to be proud of, not ashamed of.

Systematised Living Stress and Health

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e City In FluxWhen I think about the city I think about rush hour and people in suits running across the street, briefcases banging against their leg. I also see students on campus dashing to and from lectures. Everyone is rushing to get somewhere they have planned to go, everyone has a timetable they need to stick to, a structure. However I do see people wandering around just ejoying the city and what it has to offer, they have no plan so they do what they want. This made

me realise that the people rushing around are enclosed in their structured time frames they desperately need to stick to, they have no breathing space. The city is one big structured chaos.

You are also tracked everywhere you go, I scan my Metro Card when I go in and out of a train station, or on a bus, my identity is recorded. I also have to scan in at every class at University, again my identity and whereabouts is recorded. I

have to walk on the left side of the stairs and wait in line to pass through automatic ticket gates, I need to wait patiently in queue at Mac Donalds and perform the ‘order, pay, receive and go’ routine, there is no other interaction or conversation between two people. This is a new systematised lifestyle we are living in, we are like programmed robots walking a specific route and logging specific data, nothing else. We are starting to loose what makes us human.

Having so many plans swimming around in your mind causes subliminal stress you might not notice. This coupled with the rushed and hectic atmosphere of a city can create a ticking time

bomb of problems for your health. You can start to get anxious and worked up to the point where you can’t relax. Bad headaches can also creep in which I know about all too well myself, this

can add even more stress and so the cycle goes round and round. The effect of this can change the way you see a city, you can love it and then suddenly want to run as far away as possible.

Key Words

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City

Urban

Flux

Movement

Development

Metamorphosis

Typography

Architecture

Artefacts

Decay

Re-Birth

Busy

Hectic

Bombarded

Rush

Chaos

Modern

Dirt

Headache

Creativity

Crowded

Traffic

Patterns

Diversity

Noise

Identity

Overloaded

Information

Numbers

Shadows

Data

Update

WiFi

Road

Infrastructure

Wires

Cables

Connections

Systematised

Train

Bus

People

Stress

Art

Character

Stories

Pollution

Numbers

Signs

Sale

Digital

Concrete

Glass

Brick

Escalator

Elevator

Tired

Underground

Structure

Timetable

Plan

Late

Appointment

Direction

Urban Decay

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e City In FluxSome parts of a city are forgotten and they begin to fade away until they are eventually built over. I like to see the remnants and artefacts that are left behind, particularly in typography. I love seeing old painted signs and advertisements on the sides of houses which have faded away to the point where they are barely visible. I like seeing this because it gives me an insight into how the city was in the bast. I also find it interesting to see new examples or urban decay which are fairly new, but I know that they will eventually become a relic, an insight for today’s world in the future.

Urban Decay

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Urban Decay

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Graffiti

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e City In FluxI find graffiti interesting as it is used as the public’s canvas. The people who live and breathe the city have taken it upon themselves to decorate it and use it for their purposes. Graffiti is the anonymous voice of the people which is forever adapting and renewing to the current times.

Graffiti

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Graffiti

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Graffiti

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Graffiti

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Graffiti

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Graffiti

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e City In FluxSignpost Sticker, Berlin

Texture of a City

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e City In FluxWithin a city is a huge diversity of textures, some are crisp and clean whereas other were created as a building weathered over time, and some are caused by deliberate damage. I love seeing these textures as it shows the history and the stories the buildings hold which all contribute to the cities character and atmosphere.

Texture of a City

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Texture of a City

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e City In FluxHepworth Gallery External Wall

Abandoned Hospital Wall, Berlin

Under the Skin of a City

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e City In FluxThe modern city relies almost completely on electronics, this technology which usually lies underneath plastic casing is rarely seen by the normal city dweller. However I wanted to know what lied beneath common electronics and computer hardware to see the micro-sized complexity of our city.

Under the Skin of a City

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Under the Skin of a City

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e City In FluxComputer Hardware circuitry

City Framework

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e City In FluxThe city consists of many accidental geometric shapes. These is what I like to refer to as the framework of the city, the parts which hold it together both physically and visually. I like seeing these shapes which are made by scaffolding, overhead wires and other structures, they add visual interest to the foreground of dull rectangular buildings.

Signage

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e City In FluxMy absolute favourite part of a city is its signage. There is so much room for creativity and individuality, it is a perfect reflection of a cities atmosphere and character. I will pay close attention to the signage of the city I choose as it will show me the kind of people which live and work in it, and so allow me to accurately represent the cities individual traits.

Signage

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Signage

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Signage

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Signage

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Signage

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Signage

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Signage

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e City In FluxSachsenhausen Concentration Camp Memorial Signage

The Old and New

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I love seeing the contrast of old and new architecture in cities. It shows how much the city has developed but it also holds on to a rich history. I am glad most cities put great effort into restoring and maintaining their old architecture, it makes me feel patriotic and proud out our cities and how they have stood the test of time.

The Old and New

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e City In FluxCheckpoint Charlie and McDonalds

Cities Never Sleep

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e City In FluxI do not go out late very often in cities, so when I do get the change to look at a city when the sun goes down I find it fascinating how much it can change, and sometimes not for the better. The types of people around are different, and everything looks different as most shops are closed and late night pubs and night clubs are open.

Cities Never Sleep

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e City In FluxLeeds City Train Station at 1:28am

Directional Graphics

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e City In FluxI have always had a passion for information and directional graphics. I like studying the wider systems of a signage structure and finding out what it is about them which makes them effective. I like the symbols which accompany typography, I find their simplicity and clarity clever, they give a very clear message with such a vague combination of basic shapes.

Directional Graphics

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Directional Graphics

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Directional Graphics

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Directional Graphics

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Directional Graphics

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Directional Graphics

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e City In FluxBerlin Train Timetables

Ephemera Collage

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Ephemera Collage

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Ephemera Collage

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Concept 1 - Public Identity

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e City In FluxIn the middle of a busy city, everyone seems to be doing the same thing, rushing around to get something done or get somewhere in a certain timeframe. All these people look the same, despite their different clothes, build or skin colour. This is because we as a population move too fast from place to place that we no longer see individuals, we only see people as a mass crowd. Away from the crowds and in the hardware of a computer, people are recorded on CCTV. But they are viewed by a surveyor as a mass of people moving as one unit. Metro cards and Oyster cards scan thousands

of people each day but they only record a number, a numerical number given to us, we are just a recorded piece of data among the millions of others, not individual living and breathing people.

We are only a number, a blank face in the crowd of many others.

I plan to approach this idea with a combination of photography and digital graphics that display a visual metaphor of the faceless person, the stored number in a database which is seen as just another piece of the mass unit of the public.

Concept 2 - Urban Decay

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e City In FluxNaturally as certain parts of a city become old and neglected, they are demolished or renovated into something completely different. What was once there is metaphorically buried beneath the new parts of the city. This is not just in architecture, I also see it in typography across the city. Posters are pasted over posters and then parts are torn away to make room for more, but this always leaves marks and artefacts

behind. What is left behind is what I like about a city, it shows its phases, like a rebellious teenager going through a Rocker or a Mod phase. Yes the new city looks wonderful, but being able to see the ‘person’ it used to be gives it character which has influenced the city it has become today.

I want to show the forgotten phases of a city in a simple vector based visual image. I want to show the contrast

of the old and new city, and how it’s old habits are still part of the fabric its character. I will show this contrast through colour to make sure the message clearly defined.

Concept 3 - Information Overload

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Information is constantly being recorded, updated and stored in huge server warehouses. Emails, Facebook notifications, bank account balances and telephone calls and texts are just a few examples of the constant updated data which we personally and other institutions actively keep track of. This data is being piled on top of older data. Data on data with each second that passes. The information is in a constant state of change. This updating data has no physical form, it is just

black and white text on a screen. we are always attached to this non-existing information via our phones, laptops and desktop computers. The digital form and the physical form has begun to blend together because of the recent advance of mobile computing technology, our physical lives are becoming lost in the data which is piled on top of us.

I plan to communicate this overflow of information with a grid structure or typography which will

reflect the structure this data will be seen on screen. I shall also use a combination of photography and display typefaces to set the city scene.