Super City, Super Events, Super Awards
Author: Sean McGarry - DINZ President | Category: From the President
Since my last column, Auckland’s Super City logo competition has been done and dusted and we have a winner – a generic design that appears to be influenced by 70’s modernist design and the environment.
DINZ has outwardly expressed its frustration around the lack of professional design engagement and process that has occurred during this so-called design competition.
However, since the Auckland Regional Council (ARC) seemed hell bent on running a competition – why not do a better job of delivering it? If the idea of the competition was supposedly to engage with the public via a democratic design-led process then we have been extremely short changed. It would make sense to me that the end users and those who will be ultimately represented by this identity (its stakeholders) would have been updated regularly on progress, who the design finalists were and be given an opportunity to vote on the logo that they felt most appropriately represented them and their city. If ARC were interested in making identity and brand development a design-by-committee process then surely the public should have had the chance to engage in the process along the way and vote on the winning design?
I’ve previously said this competition appears to be a quick, cheap fix that could potentially damage Auckland’s international reputation as an innovative, design-led cultural centre. With the lack of transparency and process shown through this public competition I’m left wondering, what’s the difference between this and a design raffle?
Our industry is most definitely not a benefactor in this competition based approach to design. It was interesting to see the design solution that Ottis Frizzell has put forward for the super city identity and to hear his and other industry and media based comment about this competition in general.
Check out Melbourne’s new identity created by Landor Associates. It is dynamic, effective, cutting edge design backed up by a robust design process. Yes, it did have a design fee attached but tell me it wasn’t worth it! www.behance.net/Gallery/City-of-Melbourne/276451.
If anyone has any constructive comments regarding this topic we would love to hear them. Send them to designer@dinz.org.nz.
Designers Speak + other events
As nights get colder, there are some very attractive event options to inspire, engage, put a smile on your face and warm your belly.
At the end of the month (Wednesday 26 May) a two-hour Designers Speak - This and That session is being held in Auckland and then in Wellington on the 2nd June. Topics and speakers include Brotown, the secrets of OH.NO.SUMO designs, graffiti, fashion and bespoke typography, Weta Digital’ s presentation on creature effects, and more. At $20 for DINZ members this event is cheap at twice the price – all price brackets and event details are on the DINZ website
All the events for May are listed online and also include the DINZ Business Series and Balance – a design symposium that will reveal the ideas and strategies that have shaped the careers of leading Australian and New Zealand designers.
2010 Best Design Awards
Entries are open now for the 2010 Best Design Awards – a highly sought after accolade for designers, design agencies and their clients throughout New Zealand. I’m hoping to see the same range of creative, inspiring work as I did last year across all sectors including interactive design, which has its own dedicated sector in 2010, led by its new judging convenor Che Tamahori. We may even see some new mediums emerging in this sector too - like design for i-Pod applications.
Entries are open until 5.00 pm on Wednesday, 9th July 2010. Details are online at: www.bestawards.co.nz
Posted on 17 May 2010, 04:51 p.m.
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