Visual Identity Handbook Designed by Gina Garavalia Table of Contents The Challenge 2 Executive Summary Proposal The Process 6 Sketches Typography Initial Designs Final Concepts Explorations Final Mark The Logo 13 Preferred Versions Alternate Versions Colors Texture Typography Implementation Architectural Grid Application 21 Posters Posters in Action Stationery Merchandise Website Wayfinding Architecture The recurring cycle of growth, decline, and rebirth has propelled Detroit through the pages of history. The city’s motto, “We hope for better things; it shall rise from the ashes” evokes imagery of a phoenix, conveying the city’s resilience and desire to begin anew. Likewise, Spark Box breathes new life into both the ground it occupies and the recycled materials used in its construction. The project endeavors to be a catalyst for positive change within the city. By providing both an opportunity for small business owners and a destination area for Detroit’s residents and visitors, Spark Box will become part of the recovery process. Building a new community within a common gathering space, Spark Box promotes sustainable business practices and collaboration between business owners. The project aims to be a “phase one” which will later expand due to the versatility of shipping containers as building materials, creating a model which other cites can follow. The word “Spark” carries a dual meaning; while it draws upon Detroit’s motto and the fire associated with phoenixes, it also means “catalyst”, describing the project’s goal. “Box” describes the shipping containers used in the project. Together, these words define a place where new ideas can begin. In the logotype, the letters “K” and “X” merge, connecting the words together and creating a box shape. The letter “X” physically becomes the spark in Spark Box. The colors red and white, used throughout the branding, appear like glowing fire. The image of a phoenix, used alongside the logotype, becomes a powerful symbol and easily-recognizable mascot for the project. The Proposal Overview of the Project We hope for better things; it shall rise from the ashes. Certainly, the client kept Detroit’s inspira- tional motto in mind when envisioning the shipping container market project. “Rising from the ashes” is the act of beginning anew. Likewise, the container market project hopes to breathe new life into both the ground it occupies and the recycled materials used in its construction. In order to understand the context of the project, one must first understand the city of De- troit. Unfortunately, Detroit holds a negative connotation in the minds of many Americans today. Historically, the city has experienced a repetitive cycle of prosperity, decline, and recov- ery. Located at a strategic point along the Huron River, it found success as a trading post. A fire destroyed most of the city in 1805, leaving its citizens to rebuild and recover. In the 1900s, Detroit was home to the Ford Motor Industry, and it experienced an economic boom as citizens from all over the country flocked there to work in the factories. As a result, Detroit expanded to accommodate the influx of people and the lifestyles they brought with them. When the factory relocated elsewhere, however, those people with the economic means to do so left the area, leaving mostly those poor minorities behind. The homes and buildings erected to accommodate Detroit’s population were left abandoned, and once again, Detroit entered a state of gradual decline. Today, Detroit is working to bring itself back out of depression. The low cost of living there presents an opportunity for young people, particularly artists, to move there and practice without having to worry about high rent. Because the city has experienced many ups and downs, it has a sort of resilience and determination to recover and start anew. The shipping container market project endeavors to be part of the recovery process by providing both an opportunity for business owners and a destination area for people living in, and visiting, Detroit. The project aims to be a “phase one” which will later expand, creating a model which other cites can follow. The project focuses on re-purposing shipping containers into businesses. The market is a “destination area” unlike anything the city has seen before. The stores located in the market will be new, unlike others currently available in the city. These businesses will be chosen by the client, creating a curated space. The client asks the question: what do the people of Detroit need there to be in this space? Subsequently, the list of proposed businesses includes places that are not easily found in the city: a vegan grocery store, an art gallery, and a pop-up class- room just to name a few. These businesses aim to not only reach the new younger residents of Detroit but those original residents who have always made their lives there. The project also provides for Detroit’s current residents by allowing aspiring entrepreneurs to start new business in a low-cost way. This presents a new opportunity for those who might have tried and failed elsewhere. In contrast to traditional construction methods, the contain- 3 ers are relatively cheap to adapt into businesses. Each container can be customized according to the business it houses, and each container will be designed by a different architect. My branding will create a sense of uniformity to counteract this variation. Sustainability plays a huge part in the project by teaching people how to run a business in an eco-friendly way. Reusing shipping containers is equivalent to giving them a new life and a new purpose. Besides recycling the shipping containers, the project plans to use green energy to power its facilities. Walkways and fences will be built out of recycled tires, again tying the project into Detroit’s identity and history. Incorporating greenery into the space is also an important part of the project. The location of the market in a now-empty lot equates to giving both the community and the land a new life. The arrangement of the space will promote community and collaboration between business owners. The bathrooms will be located at a central area, encouraging in- teraction as everyone must frequently visit a singular space. Significance of the Project The shipping container market project is important because, in some ways, it can be seen as a metaphor for the city it resides in. Like Detroit, the project aspires to create something out of nothing – to begin anew. The market’s future location is currently an empty lot. Once, there was a community there. Now, the project aims to bring back that community and make something positive happen in the space again, redefining the land’s purpose. Providing a space about which Detroit’s people can be proud invokes a sense of community and civic pride. This civic pride is incredibly important to the recovery of Detroit. Often, people believe what they are told. If newspaper headlines and stories tell only of the collapse of Detroit and the hopelessness of the situation, people will inevitably begin to believe that nothing can be done about it. However, the container market project brings with it a note of energy and activity, and with these comes optimism. If this project successfully promotes a sense of community and rebuilds what was lost, why can’t the rest of the city do the same? The shipping container market project aims to be a catalyst for a much larger project, one which the client hopes will have real impact on the city. Because of the versatility of the ship- ping containers and the ease of which they can be stacked and manipulated, more business can follow in the footsteps of the original planned twelve. In addition, those businesses can expand should their needs call for it by adding new containers to the existing structure. It is important to avoid using the word “incubator” to describe the business district, as this implies that once they’ve gained momentum, the businesses will leave the district and expand else- where. Keeping the core businesses together in this lifestyle of community and sustainability is of utmost importance. If the businesses expand elsewhere, their location within the container market must be kept also. The client hopes the expansion of the container market will allow for “phase two” of the project, a housing district constructed from shipping containers. Ulti- mately, the client hopes this project will provide a precedent for other cities to follow. 4 Branding of the Project In branding the container market project, I would like to place particular emphasis on the idea of “creating something new” – more specifically, something “beginning anew” or being given “new life”. The word “new” can be used to describe many aspects of this project. The cycle of beginning anew is reminiscent of the cycle Detroit itself has experienced over and over throughout the years. I recognize the need for the project to fit in with the current residents of Detroit while still attracting the eyes of the new people coming to the city. The branding must fit into the current environment, but it also must promote the sense of optimism and civic pride mentioned before. I began by considering what motifs are known for “beginning anew”. I immediately thought of the phoenix, as this mythological beast’s cycle of rebirth recalls Detroit’s motto, “We will rise from the ashes”. Words such as “Phoenix” and “Firebird” led me to other names that relate to fire and the renewal symbolism represented by the phoenix. After considering many pos- sibilities, I settled on the word “Spark”. I feel that “Spark” carries a dual meaning – it fits into the phoenix imagery mentioned before and thereby the city of Detroit.