Aliike Design Guide 2010
A Student Proposal by the Aaltoliike Project Team
guiding design The intent of this Design Guide is to lay the most basic foundations of Aliike which can then be adapted, refined and updated by future Aalto students. We will begin this Guide by describing the core elements of Aliike, as well as the brand and design values that drive its look and feel. Next, we will describe the types of products you might find at Aliike, and also provide some examples developed either by our team or by other Aalto students. Finally, we will outline Aliike’s visual identity which includes its logo, signage and other graphic treatments. So, first we should answer: what is Aliike, anyway?
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what is Aliike? Aliike will be far more than just a premium design store. Built in the same spirit of learning, diversity and integration as Aalto University, Aliike seeks to not only be a place of business, but also be one of inspiration. The core attributes that make up Aliike are:
UNIQUE STUDENT DESIGN Quality + unique design Support student careers Talent discovery Access future design classics
AALTO SOUL and SPIRIT MATERIALIZED Own a piece of Aalto Glimpse of Finnish milieu Creates pride + unity Brand touchpoint + meeting place
SUSTAINABILITY Materials, manufacturing Form + function Fewer things doing more Students: stewards of post-recession era
ALIIKE
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design values What kind of store is Aliike? It is a place that aspires for freshness, demonstrates intelligence, is approachable and sensible, and manifests the Aalto University spirit.
Aliike interior renderings
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Aliike is a place that...
aspires for freshness Design has a complex relationship with timeliness and timelessness. While truly timeless designs become classics, a big factor in their success is also when these designs are revealed to the world. At Aliike, staying fresh is a priority. Not only with our culture of product design, but also with our approach to how our store looks and how it’s run.
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Determined to stay ahead of the trends — if not setting them — we hope to cultivate an atmosphere that is always regenerating itself, always listening to and learning from its surroundings, and steadily challenging what is known to be the rule and always striving to be its exception. Aliike is the place where artistic passions thrive and creative
thoughts are set into motion. By always moving forward we leave a long design legacy behind us.
Aliike is a place that...
demonstrates intelligence Smart, high-quality design is at the very center of Aliike. By filling customer needs in simple and elegant ways, the products available at the store are the most visible examples of Aliike’s wealth of savvy and foresight. But this intelligence goes much farther. It also emerges through a slick retail design, atmosphere and
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infrastructure, targeted marketing strategy and the passionate use of sustainable materials and manufacturing practices. By injecting intelligence into all levels of our effort, we stand to offer a complete solution that is enduring and meaningful.
Aliike is a place that...
is sensible & approachable Our favorite stores are inviting, comfortable and pressure-free, and we want Aliike to be the same. While we focus on quality, our aim is to do so in a casual way that does not alienate, offend or chase away, making Aliike as much a place to gather, hang out and have a cup of coffee as it is to buy beautiful pieces of design.
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We are also committed to a purposeful and attentive approach to Aliike. Our Swedish friends have a word for this, lagom, and we too seek to find virtue in this culture of balance and moderation. For us, sensibility also means sustainability. We feel a deep responsibility to use reasonable, ecofriendly materials that also enable us to
achieve our creative vision. We strive to use materials that regenerate quickly, use little or no harmful chemicals, and minimize energy use or carbon outputs.
Aliike is a place that...
manifests the Aalto spirit As we work to forge our own unique brand character, we recognize that we must also be stewards of the values of Aalto University — values like passion, freedom, courage and responsibility. Much like how Aalto brought three prestigious universities under a common banner, we also embrace this spirit of synergy and symposium,
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and acknowledge the diversity of the products and designers behind Aliike as we unite to accomplish our shared goals. Like Aalto, Aliike is a place for gathering, sharing and learning about design, business and engineering. It’s also a place to buy and own a piece of Aalto University, support young design
careers, or access future design classics before they hit the mainstream. It is also an excellent brand touchpoint for Aalto and helps to create pride and unity by bringing the spirit of Aalto University to life.
products Aliike should represent the whole diversity of Aalto University and its partners; therefore setting exact guidelines for products may undermine this goal. Products that are not conflicting with the values of Aliike and are of sufficient quality are welcome to the shop. “Quality” here means durability, manufacturing quality, structure and overall purpose of the product. Some product examples are provided below.
Critical aspects for successful product procurement include: securing high quality products that follow Aliike values; gaining sufficient product volumes to maintain store viability; assuring reliability and predictability of supply chain; setting appropriate pricing targets; establishing a clear criteria for products; and presenting an understandable product acquisition process that is not daunting or fuzzy.
Lambda Chair
Designer Tuukka Kingelin
Pienoinen Lamps
Designer Laura Timosaari
PurjeBägit
Designer Heikki Soininen
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visual identity Aliike’s logo and overall visual identity is based on that of Aalto University, but with some distinguishing changes:
logo
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signage
storefront graphics
printed materials
cards
stamp
Project Team Front row: Laura Isoniemi, Tuomas Sahramaa, Stefan Nieminen, Jenni Särmä, Tuukka Kingelin Back row: Markku Virtanen, Jaakko Lovio, Anna-Leena Kilpeläinen, Jussi Koistinen, Juha Juvonen, Eveliina Kujansuu, Tuukka Laurila Not pictured: Raimo Sepponen, Kalevi Kurronen
More information Laura Isoniemi Aalto University of Art and Design Laura.Isoniemi@aalto.fi +358 (0)40 508 7090
Credits: Contributing writers: Tuomas Sahramaa, Tuukka Kingelin. Layout and design: Tuomas Sahramaa. Interior designs: Anna-Leena Kilpeläinen, Jenni Särmä. Photography and visual identity: Juha Juvonen. Supervised by: Laura Isoniemi.