Verdi Spazi Identity Research & Review Book William Gillies | Sign & Symbol 2005
Table of Contents I
III
V
VII
IX
XIV
Introduction
Immersion
Distillation
Rhyme & Reason
Color Palette
Proof of Concepts
A different kind of Archeology
Examining a collection of images gathered from ancient Romans
Looking for common themes and possible motifs
Selecting symbols for Verdi Spazi identity and its two subsidiaries
Choosing a color palette that can be applied to logos and future material
Posters using the themes, color palette, and appropriate logo
Introduction
I
s it possible to observe Roman architecture and not begin to see patterns of common elements? As I immersed myself into the daily life of Romans, I asked, “what did they touch, what did they see, what surrounded them visually?” I tried to find the visual artifacts that made them unique in our perspective. After just a few examples of the few remnants of ancient Rome, their legacy revealed itself in the shape of an arch. This triumph and mastery of technology seemed a omnipresent element in the daily life of Romans. It became obvious too, that a company trying to establish itself could use this Roman motif and link themselves to the grandeur and accomplishments of Roman architecture. Whether an aqueduct or bridge or the spectacular coliseum, the arch was used to vault water to power fountains, allow passage over gulf and stream or enclose the spectators of the coliseum in a kind of splendor only the Romans seemed capable of.
The presence of the arch for the Roman Empire is an unequal and perhaps unintentionally successful brand of their presence. Its’ legacy bridges the Tigris River in the East, looms high in the “Pompeii of North Africa,” in Tymgad, in the form of a triumph arch. Where the Roman stepped and conquered the indelible arch was always near. So how would I appropriate this architectural legacy into a modern identity? The task first required exhuming the Roman world and breaking down visual elements into visual marks. This process was like an archeological dig. Hundred of images were sifted through until patterns appeared and common elements began to unify in a mosaic of understanding of the visual language. Part of the Roman identity can be retraced to the parts of the world they conquer. If the Roman Empire is only defined by its architectural form, the sword can’t be far behind. The unwilling continents and peoples of
During my research, as I uncovered many images and assembled them into a single theme, I was reminded of Roman mosaics and their desire to communicate their values.
resistance would attribute to Rome’s triumph of power in perhaps less than flattering ways. But the arch, symbolically, stretched their brand of violence as well. As a designer and contributor to the visual landscape we live in, It is our responsibility to be sensitive to the issues and impacts our participation has within them. But because violence was such a part of Roman life it shouldn’t be ignored either. So some homage was to be made without the glorification. For example, decisions to exclude gladiators would be made, but
observing their garb was to be studied. I looked for patterns in the Roman legions. What did their uniforms look like? How did they identity themselves from others, from each other? And considering the homes and interiors of Roman life too, I looked through paintings restored from Pompeii, which is perhaps the best encapsulated visual reference we have. Colors and decor have been revealed and still can be found to adorn these Roman homes, temples and baths.
First, then, was simply gathering images of from all aspects of their lives. What is unique about them, what visually identifies them from other ancient cultures? What notions are accepted as Roman? How far can modern visual language be used before it breaks its ancient meaning and identity? The following pages show my research and exposure to the ancient Roman and their sphere of influence. This book retraces the challenge and process of researching the visual
language from an ancient culture and finding the relevant artifacts and representing them in a new context with respect to its origin. Verdi Spazi (Green Spaces) is an Italian architectural firm looking for a new identity based on the ancient Romans. I’ll show my process of merging the company’s new identity with the values they want to be known for, elegance, precision, sustainability, civic responsibility and the large scale environmentally-friendly buildings they build.
Introduction I
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1 The Romans didn’t originate the arch, but they did apply it with great skill and success to various works of utility, and made it a universal feature in civil buildings. Their mastery of the arch was reached in the dome of the Pantheon, which may be claimed as an example of a new style of architecture.The Pantheon and the ruined Temple of Peace were two Roman edifices which indicated the progress of the Romans towards the invention of an architecture distinctively their own.
2 Ancient Rome had eleven major aqueducts, built between 312 B.C. (AquaAppia) and 226 A.D. (Aqua Alexandria); the longest (Anio Novus) was 59 miles long.
4 Pompeii has the but preserve of the color the Romans used for decor. Almost every image I found used the blood-red as the primary color.
6 Victory archways were decorated with achievement and served as a reminder of Roman values. Notice the obtruse keystone lifted in relief as an acknowledgement of its function.
7 The success of the Roman legions were directly attributed to their cohesion on the battle field.The Roman values of unity, order and continuity were replete in every facet.The battle field saw the culmination of these ideas expand the empire as far as soldiers could march.The emphasis always being on unity.
II Immersion
3 Roman engineers became more daring in the construction of high arches, some of the later aqueducts were as much as 27 meters (about 100 feet) above ground level in places.
5 A wonderful preserved example of the elegance and refinement of Roman typography. Clarity, order and a sense of style were Roman values.
4
1
2
3
5
1 The coliseum is Rome’s most recognizable symbol and its most famous landmark. It is regarded by many as one of the finest examples of ancient Roman architecture and engineering.. It was completed in 80 AD.
2 Roman engineers often ended the aqueduct with an elevated cistern to store the water at pressure.The cistern usually fed a display fountain at its base.
3 The Roman standards function was as a recognition signal and a rallying point. Army units required a device to watch and follow in battle conditions and the soldiers also needed to recognize their own at a glance.
4 Like most columns in Roman architecture, these columns have a prominent and repeated visual sequence throughout their buildings. 5 These coins reinforce visual motifs of Roman values.The wreath adorned doorways of common homes as well as victory arches.The second coin bears the Roman standard which were held in awe and were symbols of Roman honour.
Immersion III
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1 This sketch can be both an aqueduct and coliseum.The reversed effect gained a heavy feel and made it a mark.
3 This was the most basic form I could break a fountain down to. I continued with the reversed effect.
5 A reversed column in the same style as 1 and 3.These renditions seemed too crude for the elegance of Roman architecture.
7 A simplified wreath with an emphasis on Verdi.This was beginning to speak of values and identity.
9 All these ideas looked weak compared to the heavy reversed marks. I needed heavy marks that could have pragmatic uses, and also be more memorable.
2 This was a simplified wreath that could contain something in the center as well as in the binding band.
4 A series of wreaths were compared, their detail was too intricate for a heavy mark.
6 The oak leaf for the ancient Romans was a symbol of majesty and victory. I also began to use the letter V’ for Verdi.
8 Previous fountains were too small, as the company began to emerge, the scale they built to was large.
11 This column has a more classic look but didn’t speak of building or construction, Verdi Spazi had emerged as an architectural firm with two subsidiaries, construction and Interior design.
10 Military shield were studied and revealed symmetry, but they symbols were too specific.They were individualized for legions. i was seeking imagery that all Romans came in contact with, daily.
12 An arch with each brick being a component of Verdi’s possible offerings.
Distillation V
Introduction XVIII
VERDI SPAZI
I tried to vault the status of Verdi Spazi by placing the V atop a column.That would show perspective and reverence of the company’s values and how they chose to be viewed. I simplified the column to its most basic form, but there was some incongruence between the two.They lack a kind of harmony with each other.The V was too elegant, the column too simple. Pragmatic use was very good, having the qualities of a mark. Semantically, its meaning could be derived as having some essence of Rome or buildings. But I felt it was silent and still a little weak. Because of the column, the V could be read as a Roman 5, not as a letter and that was a problem.
I reversed the V in a square and rounded the corners to make it look like a block. Here, the elegance of the Roman V is contained within the soft corners of the block. It’s a heavy mark which has impact but the precision of the V has a subtle but deliberate tone. But, it’s just a block, any block and Verdi Spazi is not claiming to be another block in the architecture realm.
So looking back at the Roman arches there is a distinct block that is crucial to the structure–the keystone block. It sits atop the blocks to form the point at which the weight is distributed to either side.The keystone has a unique and distinguished shape in the arch.What better shape to identify an architectural firm to?
A masonry style mark still appealed to me so I fit it to the keystone shape.This mark is memorable. But, the added S for Spazi complicated it with unnecessary detail.
The S was removed and the arch under the keystone was emphasized so that the keystone was crisper and sharper, conveying precision and elegance.The first “i” in Verdi was replaced with a mini keystone, the second “i” dropped.This allowed a common element to be used for the subsidiary logos. And created the keystone as a motif for the company to use for other products.
The green was chosen to be slightly artificial and green of course to backup the company name. A natural looking green would be confusing for a company that has natural element in their product or service.Verdi Spazi aspires to build artificial environments in the most sustainable and environmental way. I thought an artificial green would be represent that.The blood-red was the most common color I found in my research. It was the Romans primary color for decor. It’s deep and dark enough to be both accent color and serve as a primary color for later uses.
Rhyme & Reason VII
Most of the Roman structures have I then changed the perspective to give it a both the common element of arches more dynamic quality. and a theme of multiplicity.This endless continuum of shapes and patterns is replete in their designs of buildings, their approach to military methods and ornamental decor as well. For the construction subsidiary of Verdi Spazi, I wanted to use the repeated patterns yet still convey the heaviness of a construction company. The elegance of Verdi Spazi was less important than the strength and authority this subsidiary’s logo was tasked to convey. This first rendition had double meaning. It could be a column or the arches of a aqueduct. It conveys large scale, cement, masonry and Romans. It’s heavy, but too vague.The abstract quality lends to other interpretations.
It became more recognizable by reversing it out of a block, but it looked too regal, collegiate or even civic.
So the aqueduct was revisited, it eliminated the regal, collegiate and civic and clearly conveyed a Roman grandeur.
This shape blended the coliseum and an aqueduct to be either or. It also retains the multiplicity of arches and has a heavy feel. Pragmatically it will be easy to reproduce in faxes, it’ll hold its form even from a copier. It’s easy to reproduce from a quick sketch and memorable as well. A keystone shape was removed from one of the arches and appears to be the “i” in Verdi.This common element ties it into the parent company keystone shaped logo. And its small shape indicated it was a sub of the main keystone shape of the parent company. It has a strong appearance and its elegance is not far behind.
A concrete color was chosen for it while the base line text would remain consistently black for all logos.The keystone is highlighted red for accent color.
Rhyme & Reason IX
The other subsidiary would offer interior designs. So I looked at the graphic design work on walls, on found garments, shields, accents on columns and buildings. Symmetry and multiplicity were common.
Since wreaths adorned doorways to homes this reversed wreath was created. I was looking for a softer image to contrast the construction subsidiary.
The Roman standard has a curtain shape and smooth lines could be used to convey softness.Though it wasn’t displayed indoors, that could be altered.
By removing the spear and military uses the cloth of the standard had what I was looking for.The V was an attempt to tie it to the parent company.
I removed the V and cut the curtain shorter with the wavy line which indicated its longer length and softness. I attached the curtain with the keystone shape, turning upside down for the counter shape. That achieved the common element occurring throughout the logos. And its small shape indicating it was a sub of the main keystone shape of the parent company.
Since the primary color I found in Roman interior walls and paintings was blood-red, It was the obvious choice for the interior subsidiary logo.The visual hierarchy reads, icon, company name, what they do.
Rhyme & Reason XI
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The color palette is a mixture of contemporary colors and those I found within the images I researched. Other colors were contrived from the materials that would be found in Verdi Spazi’s work. For example, the purplish-blue would be found in the solar panels Verdi would install. I then choose several accent colors to harmonize with this base.
The Verdi green was chosen to represent the environmental aspirations of the company.The deep red was the most common color I found in my research. I made it dark enough to be both accent color and a primary color for type.
The construction subsidiary would be portrayed as to adhering to the basic principles of foundations and strength. A slightly warmed version of grey was used. A deeper or heavier color would have outweighed the parent company so a lighter color was chosen, the color and portrayal was clearly concrete and added the weight subconsciously as opposed to overtly. Both subsidiaries use the same three colors.With the emphasis changing the color for each.
I tried the purple but it looked too royal or regal, which changed the point of time reference.The blood-red was the most common color I found in my research. It was deep enough to be carried as a primary color. For the soft shape and nature of the interior company, red seemed appropriate. It wasn’t overtly ornamental and it tied into the parent company logo.
Color Palette XIII
We’re not trying to build the worlds tallest buildings,
We’re not trying to build the worlds tallest buildings,
We’re not trying to build the worlds tallest buildings,
we’re striving to build the greenest.
we’re striving to build the greenest.
we’re striving to build the greenest.
Piazza delia Finanza 4 1-00185 Roma
www.verdispazi.com tel: 39 06 8417645
These were posters created to demonstrate a product the identity would be used for. I wanted to illustrate each poster with imagery of the kinds of products Verdi Spazi wants to be known for. One image would be chosen to best display those values. Overall, each poster would speak in a quiet and elegant tone.Though each poster would be different, common elements and their placement would unify them in a series.The interior image shows the scale and civic conscious Verdi Spazi is trying to establish.The blood-red accent color here is demonstrated as a successful primary color. It is deep enough to reverse type out of.
Piazza delia Finanza 4 1-00185 Roma
www.verdispazi.com tel: 39 06 8417645
Each poster had the same bar at the bottom but a different accent color was chosen from the palette that found harmony with the image. All logos would be in the space position but large enough to show their variance. For the main Verdi Spazi poster an image of a building (presumably built buy them), was the shining example and scale of projects they did.
Piazza delia Finanza 4 1-00185 Roma
www.verdispazi.com tel: 39 06 8417645
Since Verdi Spazi’s designs incorporate materials and technologies not widely used, it was important for this subsidiary establish itself and the scale of projects it could handle.The not so glamorous side of construction was shown in a different light.This depicts Verdi Spazi’s elegance presides over every facet of the company. Those same goals and values of the main company would be found in the subsidiaries as well.
Proof of Concepts XIV
Credits | Resources
Websites University of Colorado at Colorado Springs – http://harpy.uccs.edu/roman/html/roman.html Brigham Young University, faculty, Rick Davis – http://emp.byui.edu/davisr/humpix/ The Illustrated History of the Roman Empire – www.roman-empire.net/ Literary Works of Sanderson Beck – www.san.beck.org/EC24-RomanExpansion.html Channel 4 – www.channel4.com/history/microsites/H/history/guide03/part09.html ArchArt – www.archart.it/archart/italia/campania/pompei/pompei.htm IStock photo – istockphoto.com Segovia Aqueducts – David W. Eby www-personal.umich.edu/~eby/segovia.html Aqueducts on page I – www.viaggiaresempre.it/pagina24c.html Corbis images – www.corbis.com Corse Segovia image, page I
Books The Roman Army: the legendary soliders who created an empire, Dylan Blacklock, 2004 Daily Life in the Roman city: Rome, Pompeii, Ostia, Gregory S. Aldrete, 2004 The Pantheon, Lesley A. DuTemple, 2003 The Ancient Roman World, Ronald J. Mellor & Marni McGee. 2004