Conducting extensive research into the neighbourhood of Inglewood to support a concept-driven design for a reimagined and refreshed visual identity system.
Project Course work for Systems and Structures at Mount Royal University
Skills Research, Concept Development, Brainstorming, Ideation, Concept Development, Branding, Product Development
Tools Adobe InDesign, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Google Sites, Google Slides, Google Forms, Mural
Date 2022
Brand Application: Front/Back Cover of Inglewood Newsletter
BACKGROUND
Inglewood is built around the spirit of its rich history, residents, visitors, and business owners. Understanding what makes the neighbourhood special meant searching beyond what can simply be seen and done there, into how Inglewood makes people feel and the memories that are made there. The goal for this project was to gain a deeper understanding of Inglewood through desk and field research, then construct a concept-driven design for a refreshed visual identity system. Research and concept exploration was completed in collaboration with my partner Janelle Cobb, while all other deliverables presented display my work.
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Research
Community website, news articles, blogs, public forums and social media provided knowledge on history, demographics, current events, business types, environmental sites, and the existing visual identity system in place. Field research included documented photos and the use of observational frameworks to record experiences and data. Ethnographic interviews gave direct insight from people inhabiting Inglewood. Lastly, a neighbourhood insight survey acted as our final exploratory research tool, which allowed us to ask questions and gain perspective from a wider range of people, filling remaining research gaps.
-- Research Mural
Neighbourhood of Inglewood Research Map
-- Research Highlight: Survey
Our survey was distributed across various local channels, including Inglewood community pages and Calgary-based forums. This proved successful with over 120 responses, making this last research tool very valuable. Over the course of concept development, we continually came back to the survey, as this was the best place for "gold nugget" insights. This survey allowed people to share their thoughts, some choosing to invite us into very intimate and special memories or experiences with the neighbourhood (see slides 20-25).
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Concept Exploration & Development
Based on research, we narrowed down five dominant characteristics of Inglewood:
*Eclectic, Trendy, Vibrant, Historical, Local*
-- Idea Generation // Concept Development I & ii
Sketching enabled us to generate ideas for an identity visually representative of trends, characteristics, and emotions collected through research. Various concept statements, colour palettes and typefaces were explored. Sketches were then fully developed, and new concepts began to form. This was our experimentation phase – based on feedback sessions with our instructor and peers, we decided a new direction was needed.
Going back to research and the subsequent characteristics we attributed to Inglewood, I summarized those I believe captured the neighbourhood best. Our final concept statement took shape: "Streets that pulse with life, walls that echo with nostalgia, Inglewood is a wander to experience". Components of a map of Inglewood and the roads that flow throughout the community were used to create the new logo symbol.
Initial Idea Generation I
Initial Concept Development
Back to the Drawing Board: Idea Generation & Concept Development II
Development of the Inglewood Map Concept
-- Final Concept
Primary logo concept: Map highlighting the lively streets, the sense of nostalgia unique to its historical roots, and the areas where wandering leads to special Inglewood-found experiences. The final iteration of the map concept resulted in a more abstract representation that personifies the concept words: 'echoing', 'pulsing', 'wandering', and 'life'.
Final Concept Development: Statement, Logo Variations, Typeface and Colour Palette
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Brand Usage
- Product -
Stamps
Stickers
Tote Bag
- Environmental -
Building Mural
Street Posters
- Print & Digital -
Postcards
Website Landing Page
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Brand Application
-- Community Map
The map shows a bird's eye view of Inglewood right to its boundaries with the Bow River and Ramsay. Because the visual identity is about Inglewood the neighbourhood, and not just Inglewood aka 9th Avenue SE, it was important to highlight the entire span of its area.
Area highlights: 9th Avenue shopping and business strip, historical train tracks, Bow River, and the various natural environments it contains –Bow Habitat Station and Sam Livingston Fish Hatchery, Pearson Estate Park, Wildlands, and the Bird Sanctuary and Nature Centre.
Inglewood Community Map
-- Community Newsletter
Inglewood's imagined newsletter offers a variety of local stories, insights into the community, and special 'Inglewood Experiences' to invite others to events unfolding throughout the month. The design elements are consistent with the Inglewood logo and other aspects of the visual identity, such as the organic lines, abstract shape elements, colour palette, typography, and content in line with the spirit of the neighbourhood. This newsletter achieves not only a brand application capturing the offerings of Inglewood, it also invites others to interact with the neighbourhood through supporting local businesses and becoming invested into the history of the oldest spaces in Calgary.
Inglewood Newsletter: Front/Back Cover
Inglewood Newsletter: Inside Spread One
