Campbell Hay evolve Islington Design District’s identity with a fresh 3D-focused update for 2022

Returning for its second year at 2022’s London Design Festival, Islington Design District is bigger and better than ever before, bringing together a diverse range of local talent and international brands around the theme of ‘Design Journeys.’

The 2022 edition brings with it an updated look, provided once again by London-based brand consultancy Campbell Hay. Key visual elements make a comeback, such as the fresh and vibrant shade of purple, alongside the distinctive type pairing of Neue Haas Grotesk and Typefaces of The Temporary State’s Panama. Whilst retaining the familiarity from last year’s work, the updated campaign identity for 2022 introduces a greater emphasis on motion design with 3D abstract graphics. The shifting forms,that depict materials such as metal and glass, take inspiration from the theme – visualising the process of creation: when abstract ideas come to form.

We spoke to Campbell Hay’s Design Lead Wai Ming Ng once again to get an insight into the thinking behind this year’s 3D and motion-driven approach. “We wanted to continue working with motion like we did last year as it is mainly a digital/screen-based campaign,” he tells us. “As with the 2021 campaign we have used the work from the various IDD partners as a starting point, but we evolved it from 2D shapes to 3D objects.”

For the studio, this was a natural evolution, but taken a step further through the process of experimentation and play. Whilst references aided in the early stages, in-depth experimentation by Ng and designer Carolyn Ang determined the final look of the project. “Carolyn and I started collecting images that communicated a sense of movement, distortion and repetition,” Ng reveals, referring to early reference examples. However, whilst there were an abundance of still image references, they couldn’t find any good motion examples. “Carolyn then started to experiment with motion on abstract shapes which formed the groundwork of this year’s identity,” he adds. Ng then felt that it was ‘too’ abstract, and it needed one final ingredient to reach the final look. “I added an extra layer of motion with 3D objects to create a sense of intrigue and tension between both visual worlds,” he concludes.

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IDD 2022 will host workshops, exhibitions and activities across the borough of Islington, with a series of special events planned for a celebratory evening on Tuesday 20th September. The programme also includes must-see installations such as Celestial Nest by The Architecture Studio, located in Islington Square’s open-air boulevard. Check it out from 17th to 25th September 2022.

Campbell Hay

Islington Design District