Spirits are high at the Bremen-based Steinbeis Transfer Center i/i/d (Institute of Integrated Design i/i/d), after it scooped not one but two highly cherished 2010 iF communication design awards. The i/i/d won its first award for the design and system construction of a new language-independent, quick, intuitive, precisely controllable interface for worldwide use. The second award went to the i/i/d for its development of an integrated communication concept for the German town of Verden.
Metso Lindemann manufactures scrap shears, packing presses and shredding devices for the recycling of scrap metal. These must be safe and quick to control and monitor, despite the complexity of the processes. The control system recognized by the iF communication design award has a modular structure, takes the company’s different product categories into account – as well as the different places its machines and equipment are used – and offers varying levels of control for different types of user. The design is unspectacular in the best possible sense, making day-to-day work easier and optimizing working processes.
The communication concept for the town of Verden was developed over several years and was the result of an intensive creative partnership between the town’s marketing board, the town council and public administrators. The project encompassed moderating and managing the entire process, drafting a roadmap lasting several years, a series of workshops, and the design of the new visual identity. The project involved a softly-softly approach, tackling questions relating to the town’s visual imagery on a step by step basis. This began with an analysis of the town’s strengths and weaknesses and an evaluation of the defining features and attractions it offers, which led to some surprising results. These formed the basis of a realistic visual mission statement typifying the town, which is much more than just an announcement of recurring platitudes. The image of the town is a collage of different building blocks that all fit together: the wordmark, now combining the word “Verden” and the city arms (which date back to 1667); a color frieze with variable colors and proportions; and, instead of a standard “fixed” slogan, a variety of terms based on a specially created “morphological toolkit” – always starting with the prefix “Ver-”. This is all underscored by true-to-life, authentic imagery and plainspeaking texts.