we define what design is.
ABOUT
a brand system for the Australian Graphic Design Association's 2022 awards, letting designers define their work their own way.
the brief.
The Australian Graphic Design Association consists of design industry professionals, ranging from graphic designers to academics, clients and curators. Their annual awards aim to celebrate talent from every generation and experience, highlighting the successes of the Australian design industry. Through these awards, designers are encouraged to challenge, innovate and reconsider what is design.
the concept.
The proposed identity is centralised around the notion that ‘we define what design is’, an unconventional play against the stimulus.
The Australian Graphic Design Association (ADGA) predominantly consists of design industry stakeholders; clients, designers, academics and curators who all have an opinion of what is considered design. An ironic twist, suggests that designers with different values, experiences and styles have a different approach to design. This has led to a visual identity system that focuses on emphasising the values and style of different designers showcased in the exhibition through minimal but symbolic graphic elements. Utilising semiotics, I emphasise or highlight the designer's names being showcased as their design reveals their skills and experiences, allowing the layout to ‘define’ the designer and their perspective of design (Lupton, 2011). Combined with subtle colour changes and consistency in brand elements within the page layout, it will focus on emphasising the designer’s skills (Barnum et. al, 2011). In the process, the design focuses on showcasing the designers and questions how design is challenged within the industry.