Culture Shock
Icon system for Cologne's municipal culture office
In this project, the culture office asked KISD students to analyze its current dismal premises and work out design-solutions to visually and functionally enhance them.
We developed a visual system that works on two levels at once. Seen from afar, the details are merely recognisable and our circular symbols just act as dots in a simple matrix — providing the possibility to create markers or to form letters and communicate short messages. When looked at closely, the dots turn into icons showing the extensive scope of single facets that amount for the »thing« we call culture.
The collection of icons we prepared for the mockups
Starting point for our culture-dots is the agency's lobby where they align on a simple matrix to form the word »Kultur« (culture)
From their place of origin, the dots spread throughout the building — along walls, on the floor and ceiling
They gather around various items of interest, e.g switches or signs
Detailed view of icons