02.01.08
Our Biggest Ever
Few branding or graphic design studios carry architectural expertise in-house. We do. Our work for Endeavor’s 1890 Ranch included designing environmental graphics or wayfinders in addition to creating the brand. Thus, at 42’ tall, these pylons are the largest physical artifacts to come from our studio. Their provocative form breaks the mold of the average Austin wayfinding package…
01.30.08
On 'Brand': Part 1
Everyone talks about brands now. Few define them well, and fewer still are willing to hold themselves accountable to their definitions. Know this: the public will hold you accountable. This is why we (as a design studio) hold you accountable as well. If we can smell corporate doublespeak or empty claims, so can everyone else. The public is not stupid, only sometimes misinformed or uninformed.
01.28.08
Professional Speaker has Silent Partner
When someone speaks and inspires for a living, presentation is everything. As non-verbal communicators, our work for Jason Ryan Dorsey is an excellent case study in the slippery nature of defining a brand. There is no tangible product (say, like a toaster); the personality is the brand. Our success can be measured in his market growth and an interview on CBS’ 60 Minutes with Morley Safer…
Photo by Nils Juul-Hansen
01.25.08
Lamberts Makes Blackbook
INTERMIX BlackBook: 2008 Jet Set Guide features our branding client Lamberts Downtown Barbecue as the ‘no duh’ choice for an upscale barbecue restaurant to see in Austin. The editor describes the restaurant as having a ‘faded elegance’ of which we are happy to have been a part of creating. Get some Fancy Barbecue soon.
01.24.08
Every Reason Arrives
Thom Mayne wrote “sometimes the context is the project”. For the new album from Devin Garza “Every Reason”, we applied that theory.
01.21.08
Significant Change
In an increasingly ‘designer-as-rockstar’ world, it’s nice to be reminded that we should be civil servants too. Rarely are we (designers) doing something purely for the community or the betterment of humanity, for no fee. As “I have a dream” will be celebrated, replayed, and posted in abundance today, we offer here one of the best homages to Dr. King’s influence; eloquent, brief, and Irish…
01.09.08
One Project, Many Rewards
The diminutive Anthony Nak jewelry store has won our client MJ Neal an AIA National Award. FÖDA Studio photography and illustrations continue to be a small part of the continued success of this project. *We created the brand identity for MJ Neal Architects in 2004; we’ve continued to colaborate, develop and participate in projects with him ever since. Look for our ad for Mr. Neal’s MoonUnits in the February issue of Tribeza™.
12.13.07
Reconstruction
Trevor Pyle’s Havens emerges with a new identity, built by FÖDA Studio. Havens is a General Contractor and construction company, operating in Austin since 2003.
12.04.07
Spoiled Rotten
It’s only fair: if a spa is for being spoiled, then it stands to reason we’d get spoiled too. Thus, FÖDA Studio has created another decadent set of gauzy candy colored banners for Daired’s Spa & Salon Pangéa in Arlington, Texas. Having designed and implemented 18 unique designs before this, Daired’s gave the studio a lot of latitude. In return, we provided them 6 new designs filled with floating glyphs and geometric pieces in tasty candy colors. Not just decorative, each of these 9 foot tall ‘screens’ functions as a point-of-purchase divider between one cashier and the next; a spatial/graphic hybrid rendered in nylon and ink.
(All respect is due to Josh Davis for the inspiration and whoever made the symbol set for the head start.)
11.10.07
Woofa on KLRU
Last night on the KLRU (Austin PBS) show Downtown, MJ Neal’s ‘Woofa’ was featured as part of the show’s look at downtown Austin culture, and specifically, the Barkitechture event. FÖDA created presentation illustrations for Mr. Neal, as well a a narrative block of copy which appears on the side of the sofa/doghouse. We discovered the copy on a blog about a dog named Austin. Though the irony was lost on the canines, it was well received by their owners. 