Elisava Insights presents the Barcelonian institution’s research via a flexible editorial system

Renowned Barcelonian university Elisava has released their research insights report, covering topics from materials, information and humans to technology, dialogue and society. Under the art direction of Barcelona-based creatives Lorena G. Ortiz, Attassa Cabrera and Lluc M. Bevia, the publication's design was approached with a thoughtful repose, leading to a flexible graphic system fuelled by the exploration and expansion of geometry.

Adaptable in order to match the detailed requirements of each report, the editorial system in place is applied from cover to cover, bound together through the book’s prominent spiral binding. “This was chosen because we are playing with geometries and we wanted these shapes to be present throughout the whole design,” Art Director and Designer Lorena G. Ortiz tells us. As a result, the friendly coil of the binding immediately contrasts the angular forms of the cover, editorial layout and vertical lines. “In addition this system allowed us to give a touch of colour to the publication,” Ortiz explains, “and break with the serious and rigorous tone of a research department,” they remark, noting the essential service the colours provide.

The palette in question responds accordingly to the assigned colours granted to each department’s research areas, associating to their core values and key terminologies. “All of these colours are part of the look and feel of the identity,” Ortiz recalls, “and are very useful as they allow us to differentiate briefly which area we are talking about,” notably successful in-practice by the school’s own researchers. “In addition to the colour, each area has an associated geometric shape that works as a symbol,” they add, “facilitating the representation of data and technical details of the projects.”

Providing the pragmatic consistency across the identity and publication is the use of Helvetica Neue LT Roman 55, the architecture of which had been modified to reflect the project’s geometric concept, and reflect Elisava’s own avant-garde, innovative attitude. “Elisava Research is the R&D department of Elisava, Barcelona School of Design and Engineering,” Ortiz contextualises, operated with the aim of building an “innovative, ethical, sustainable and welfare society,” via means of design and engineering research. “Therefore, its graphic universe had to convey this innovation, technology, precision and future-focus,” Ortiz concludes, complementing one another through the book’s characterful versatility and technological underpinning.

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