What should the future corporate identity of the city of Wesel look like? Since the start of the 2017/2018 winter term, a total of 36 students on the Bachelor’s degree programme in Information and Communication Design at Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences have been exploring this question under the supervision of Professor Christoph Zielke. In his view, the current visual identity lacks structure and impact. The fragile logo is virtually unusable at small sizes, for example on a smartphone screen. “Good corporate design is characterised by strength, consistency and creativity. It should reveal something about the city’s self-image. It must be flexible enough to be expanded, thereby ensuring continuity. The aim must be for the new visual identity to endure for decades,” said Professor Zielke.
Organised as a student competition, the students were tasked with creating a visual identity that would give the city a contemporary and appealing look and be suitable for use across all media. Among other things, the results of a brand study commissioned by the City of Wesel formed the basis for their work. Suggestions from the public and the city administration were also taken into account by the students. Furthermore, they analysed the existing design and defined objectives for the new visual identity. They evaluated the visual presentation of other cities and engaged intensively with Wesel and its surroundings.
In a practical project of this kind with a client, students experience the entire work process, from preliminary discussions on content through client meetings to the final competition presentation. The experience gained in this way is vital for their future professional success. A total of 36 students took part in the competition. Thirty-five designs were submitted. “Although competitions are held from time to time during the course, this one is almost record-breaking given the number of designs submitted. Furthermore, the task of developing a visual identity that is then set to shape the image of a town with around 60,000 inhabitants for decades to come is something quite special,” says Professor Zielke.
For the jury – comprising representatives from the council, the local authority, specialists, as well as experts Jürgen Adolph, Creative Director at the Düsseldorf-based agency KW43, and Prof. Kai Bergmann from Augsburg University of Applied Sciences – three designs stand out in particular from the multitude of concepts developed. Student Antonios Jansen-Gessas from Oberhausen can celebrate winning first place, which comes with a prize of 7,000 euros. Second place and 3,000 euros are shared by Mara Heemskerk from Moers and Lena Lengner from Essen. Third place, and with it 1,000 euros, goes to Quyen Ta Ngoc Mai from Vietnam. “For all the students involved, the task was an exciting challenge which they mastered with flying colours, even though ultimately only three designs could be awarded prizes,” sums up Professor Zielke.
The winning designs
The logo designed by Antonios Jansen-Gessas references the River Rhine and the significance of the city’s many bodies of water. At the same time, it can be interpreted as a ‘W’. The jury praised the logo’s strength, originality and memorability. In their view, Jansen-Gessas has achieved precisely what matters most – and what is particularly difficult to achieve: designing a simple yet unmistakable symbol.
The concept by Mara Heemskerk and Lena Lengner is based on a lovingly crafted pictogram system that enables all the city’s themes and landmarks to be incorporated into the visual identity. According to the jury’s verdict, the clear and fresh-looking design concept offers a compelling solution for every application.
Quyen Ta Ngoc Mai’s design particularly impressed the jury with its creative use of media. The dynamic symbol is employed in ever-changing ways – sometimes as part of an illustration, sometimes as a full-bleed pattern, and sometimes as a frame for images. The concept thus brings together the diverse content in an engaging and lively manner.
Next steps
The winning design will be further developed by Jansen-Gessas. This will primarily involve producing the relevant files for the design elements and a corporate design manual. The Main and Finance Committee will hold a preliminary discussion on the winning design at its meeting on 20 February 2018. The decision to adopt the winning design as the new corporate identity will be taken by Wesel City Council at its meeting on 6 March 2018. The new corporate identity is due to be finalised by May 2018. It will then be introduced gradually over the coming years.
