Los Angeles River Brand Identity Guidelines

LOS ANGELES RIVER REVITALIZATION

© RICARDO IMPERIAL | 2014

LCAD | CORPORATE IDENTITY

BRAND IDENTITY GUIDELINES

1 2

INTRODUCTION

MISSION STATEMENT

RESEARCH

ASSESSMENT | DIAGNOSIS FEATURE | BENEFIT ANALYSIS VISUAL AUDIT - CURRENT CONDITION BRAND ANALYSIS - EXISTING CONDITIONS COMPETITION TARGET AUDIENCE

3

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

EXISTING BRAND COMPETITION MIND MAPPING KEY ATTRIBUTES CONCEPT STATEMENT STRATEGY LOGO DEVELOPMENT TYPE DEVELOPMENT LOGO + TYPE REFINEMENT FINAL LOGO + TYPE

4

APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT

SIGNAGE PRIMARY SECONDARY DIRECTIONAL INFORMATIONAL APPAREL PRINT COLLATERAL WEB + MOBILE U/I BUILDINGS

5

CONCLUSION

FINAL SOLUTION

1

INTRODUCTION

T

he LA river has a horrible reputation; dirty, smelly, unwelcoming,

gang and trash infested, and a lost cause view. The LA River makes a large impact on our ecosystem and the ocean life, which ultimately effects us. Storm drains wash large amounts of trash into the river which ends up in our ocean and feed the surrounding animal life. There are many different ways to nurse the river back to health, which will promote a greener lifestyle and ultimately restore the pollution of LA and the world. Revive our natural ecosystem one step at a time. The LA river will promote LA residents to plant gardens and revive the natural life of what was once a flourishing green city. If the current state of the LA River can be cleaned up, so can the city. It effects our ocean, our animals, which in the end, effects our lives and health. The agriculture that once flourished in the early days of LA can be restored, but it needs to inform citizens by educating them about the river.

MISSION STATEMENT

“We are a non-profit organization founded in 1986 to protect and restore the natural and historic heritage of the Los Angeles River and its riparian habitat through inclusive planning, education and wise stewardship.”

- FRIENDS OF THE LA RIVER

SECTION 1.1

RICARDO IMPERIAL

(FoLAR) Friends of the Los Angeles River is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization founded in 1986, whose mission is to protect and restore the natural and historic heritage of the Los Angeles River and its riparian habitat through inclusive planning, education and wise stewardship. Once home to steelhead and grizzlies, the Los Angeles River meandered through wetlands, marshes, willow, alder and sycamore, providing desperately needed water for the region. Now running over 50 miles long – from the suburbs of the San Fernando Valley to the ocean in Long Beach – the Los Angeles River flows through 14 cities and countless neighborhoods.

When the Army Corps of Engineers initiated a flood control project in the late 1930′s, they began the process of paving 80% of the River, creating the world’s largest storm drain. Over the ensuing decades, the River that had been the sole water supply for the City of Los Angeles before the Los Angeles Aqueduct was completed in 1913 almost disappeared from public consciousness. With the cement came a perceptual shift: the River no longer existed. Instead, it was a “flood control channel,” a no-man’s land, surrounded by fences and signs.

LCAD | 2014

2

RESEARCH

M

y research began with an actual tour of the LA river. I was

guided by FoLAR and was shown the current conditions of the soft bottom section that sadly ruins our ecosystem. In addition to the tour, I researched the history of the native people of Los Angeles and various eco-friendly tactics on keeping our planet green.

ASSESMENT | DIAGNOSIS

RESEARCH

FIELD STUDY

The Los Angeles River has a poor reputation: dirty, disease infested, foul-smelling, gang-ridden, unstable, and a living area to the homeless. Through out the years the LA River has been a magnet to trash and undesirable circumstances that many people see as a lost cause, but with major changes and time, the river will flourish as it did when it was home to the Gabrielino Indians. The revitalization of the LA River will reintroduce the rich plant life and animal habitat that once thrived in the area.

SECTION 2.1

LA RIVER IDENTITY GUIDELINES

ALONG THE RIVER

RICARDO IMPERIAL

Concrete area of river.

Soft bottom area of the river.

LCAD | 2014

FEATURE + BENEFIT ANALYSIS

RESEARCH

FEATURE + BENEFIT

The LA River will encompass many of its natural properties just as it did for the Gabrielino Indians. The river’s new features will focus on restoring Los Angeles to a healthy and less polluted city by implementing plant life into any possible way it could be applied. The application and addition of organic plant life will output oxygen into the atmosphere, thus eliminating the pollution of smog and unnatural gases that are given off from cars and other industrial machines in LA. Promoting store front and home gardens will not only help this revitalization of the river, but will create a more visually pleasing environment to the city as a whole. When tourist visit the Los Angeles, they will be inspired to do the same for their cities which, with time, will create a global revitalization. Viewing something that was once a lost cause being risen from its ashes is great inspiration for many people to start their own revitalization of their own cities and lives.

SECTION 2.2

LA RIVER IDENTITY GUIDELINES

CONCEPTS

Greenway 2020 concept

LA River Revitalization Master Project concept

HNTB concept

LCAD | 2014

RICARDO IMPERIAL

Tam Banh concept

VISUAL AUDIT

RESEARCH

ENVIRONMENT

The current condition of Los Angeles’s river is devastating. Large amounts of trash and unwanted articles are drained into the river, which leads into our ocean. This pollutions effects our whole ecosystem and must be stopped immediately. The river is home to many important biological forms of life, plants and animals, and once the revitalization of the river is complete, it will restore the condition that was once inhabited.

SECTION 2.3

LA RIVER IDENTITY GUIDELINES

CREATIVITY

RICARDO IMPERIAL

Another important aspect that is evident in the river is the artistic community. Performance, mural, instillation, and other types of art carry a tight bond with the river. From the river cats, to the entrance gates, and the graffiti art, the LA river is home to a large variety of artistic expression.

LCAD | 2014

3

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

W

hen the branding process began, there were numerous types

of direction that could have been taken for the brand identity. Based off of the history and new views of the LA River, the possibilities were endless. The design process took hours of trial and error, but the final outcome has a fitting feel for what the river’s main focus is about. The following pages are the process of the brand and design creation.

EXISTING BRAND

BRAND

Infrograph design

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

Entrance gate

Website + Logo

The current conditions of the LA River are void of any sense of brand. Once the river has finished construction, a cohesive directional and way finding system will be implemented.

SECTION 3.1

LA RIVER IDENTITY GUIDELINES

SIGNAGE

RICARDO IMPERIAL

The current signage is lacking a sense of order, but once the river has been restored to its natural order, the various premises of the LA River will need to contain a clear and cohesive way-finding system.

LCAD | 2014

COMPETITION

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

CAOFEIDIAN ECO-CITY

200 kilometers south-east of Beijing a new eco-city is emerging. The city, which will house a million inhabitants, is being built with the aim of becoming one of China’s most environmentally-friendly cities. The city plan of the first section, a 30 square kilometer large area, has been developed by a team of Sweco’s planners, architects, engineers and technology consultants. Sweden is often viewed as a model with climate smart areas such as Bo01 in Malmö and Hammarby Sjöstad in Stockholm. Based on the experience gained from these projects, Sweco’s architects and technology consultants have now developed sustainability principles and a city plan, aiming to create one of the most environmentally friendly cities in the world.

SECTION 3.2

LA RIVER IDENTITY GUIDELINES

CLIMATE-NEUTRAL

RICARDO IMPERIAL

”The new eco-city will be carbon dioxide neutral and the goal is not just to minimize energy consumption but also that parts of the city should generate a surplus of energy. In order to achieve an attractive and sustainable city, we have used a holistic approach when creating the city plan”, Jonas Jernberg, architect at Sweco, explains.

LCAD | 2014

CONCEPT + DEMOGRAPHIC

CONCEPT STATEMENT Ways to revitalize the river and keep people conscious of creating a harmonious environment is to educate them with infographics about home gardens, planting fruits and vegetables, and information to enforce less car transportation. This information needs to be read fast and quickly instead of keeping people reading paragraphs, since LA is such a busy place and the people are used to the hustle and bustle of the city. Once tourist see the revitalization, they will be inspired and want to do the same for their city or town. With gardening tips, flower bombs, etc. the natural plant life will flourish throughout the city. With the help of the agriculture, it will emit oxygen and absorb all of the carbon dioxide which will create clean air and clean water, thus having a great effect on the ecosystem,

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

one step at a time.

SECTION 3.3

LA RIVER IDENTITY GUIDELINES

DEMOGRAPHIC

RICARDO IMPERIAL

The target audience for the river will include a broad range: from LA natives, artists, and tourist.

SEEKERS OF ADVENTURE

ARTISTS

Hikers

Street Artists

Fisherman

Performance Artists

Kayakers

Photographers

Tourists

Painters

GROUPS

HEALTH CONSCIOUS PEOPLE

Families

Owners of gardens

Young Adults 18-30

Eco-friendly conscious patron LCAD | 2014

MIND MAP

life

health

egret

crops

strength

birds

cat drains

motion

vermin

flow

insects

native

energy

ecosystem

HISTORY

ACTIVE

NATURE

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

hispanic

RIVER WATER

AGRICULTURE

simple

sustained

purifie

plants

drinking

flourish

unified

survive circle of life

ripple clear connected

SECTION 3.4

LA RIVER IDENTITY GUIDELINES

over populated

motion

divers

bulding

distracted

culture

dirty

freeway

native

technology

coexist

nightlife artistic

mindless

business

CITY

BUSY

PEOPLE RICARDO IMPERIAL

LOS ANGELES REPUTATION

CARS

movie stars

speedy

attractions

pollution

famous

smog transportation

high class

traffic

homeless

LCAD | 2014

KEY ATTRIBUTES

CONTENTS SPONSORS

FEATURES Kayak Parking (Valet Service)

Frito Lay

Picnic Areas

Krylon

Nature Center

LACMA

Snack bar

MoMA

Summer Concert Series

Getty

Solar Powered Lights + Security Lights

Disney

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

Lazy River IPHONE APP

Brick Road Art Gallery

Interactive Map

Stage

Scavenger Hunt

Community Service Clean Up Crew

Kayak Reservations

Movies On The River

Bike Reservations

Bike Renting

Fishing Supply Reservations

Vegetable and Herb Garden n

Site Reservation

Aquaponics System

Weather

Gardening Classes

Friend Finder

RECREATION

Animal Finder

Kayak

Instagram Hashtag Photo

Fly Fishing Running

Geotaging

Bird Watching Helicopter Rides Yoga Bike Rides

SECTION 3.5

LA RIVER IDENTITY GUIDELINES

RICARDO IMPERIAL

LCAD | 2014

SKETCH EXPLORATION

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

THUMBNAILS

SECTION 3.6

LA RIVER IDENTITY GUIDELINES

SKETCHES

RICARDO IMPERIAL

LCAD | 2014

DIGITAL EXPLORATION

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

DIGITAL COMPOSITIONS

SECTION 3.7

LA RIVER IDENTITY GUIDELINES

DIGITAL COMPOSITIONS

RICARDO IMPERIAL

LCAD | 2014

DIGITAL EXPLORATION

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

REFINEMENTS

SECTION 3.8

LA RIVER IDENTITY GUIDELINES

REFINEMENTS

RICARDO IMPERIAL

LCAD | 2014

TYPE EXPLORATION

EXPLORATION

Kroppen Round Bold

Trend Sans

Kroppen Round Regular

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

Trend Sans

Custom Type 1

Custom Type 2

Custom Type 3

Custom Type 4

Custom Type 5

Custom Type 6

Custom Type 7

Custom Type 8

SECTION 3.9

LA RIVER IDENTITY GUIDELINES

FINAL Custom Type - Primary Typeface

Edmond Sans Bold- Secondary Typeface

Edmond Sans Regular - Secondary Typeface

Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz 1234567890 LCAD | 2014

RICARDO IMPERIAL

Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz 1234567890

FINAL LOGO

FINAL

SYMBOL

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

LOGO

WORDMARK

The petroglyph-style egret pulls inspiration from the river’s ancient-hispanic past. The new logo symbolizes the representations of the river’s native Gabrielino Indians and brings back their stylistic imagery that they used to communicate with. The logo also reflects the image of a phoenix rising from its ashes. This idea represents the new concept of the LA River; started as an crop-thriving environment, then into a disastrous-polluted waterway, and converting back into its natural state.

SECTION 3.10

LA RIVER IDENTITY GUIDELINES

COLOR

RICARDO IMPERIAL

The color palette is simple; black and white. The simplicity of the color creates a timeless look and makes it open to color options for future uses.

LCAD | 2014

4

APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT

O

nce the logo was designed, the deliverables and applications

of the brand were created to reflect the new ideas and concepts of the LA River. These following pages are the final deliverables.

SIGNAGE

PRIMARY PRIMARY ENTRANCE SIGNAGE

Primary signage is the first sighting of the LA River’s way-finding system. The iconic bird is the first sight, then the inlay of moss is recognized, and pulls the viewer into the whole sign. Features 3 of the main elements that are found inside of the river: stone, greenery and vegetation, and wood. These DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

elements are the foundation of the river and are important to be seen a from a far.

3 dimensional side view

Top view of sign

SECTION 4.1

LA RIVER IDENTITY GUIDELINES

SECONDARY

RICARDO IMPERIAL

Front of sign

SECONDARY SIGNAGE

Secondary signage is seen at the front of the river’s entrance. It has the same elements of the primary signage, to keep the viewer aware of the natural take of the river’s new identity.

Signs will be in front of every main entrance of the river.

LCAD | 2014

SIGNAGE

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

DIRECTIONAL

The directional signage is a low cost and effective way to display the brand and its way-finding system. With time, colors will fade, and locations will change, so the ability to interchange signage is a necessity. The signage will be printed on recycled plastic. The design of the arrows reflect the native indian prints that are used in their symbolism. The signs are also bilingual since Los Angeles is home to a majority of Hispanics.

SECTION 4.2

LA RIVER IDENTITY GUIDELINES

RICARDO IMPERIAL

LCAD | 2014

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

SIGNAGE

SECTION 4.3

LA RIVER IDENTITY GUIDELINES

RICARDO IMPERIAL

LCAD | 2014

SIGNAGE

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

DIRECTIONAL

To utilize the existing wooden posts, an updated design will replace the old sign graphics. The signs feature a color coated system with simple icons and arrows. The signs feature either universal, or intuitive symbols for people of different nationalities to understand easily.

SECTION 4.4

LA RIVER IDENTITY GUIDELINES

RICARDO IMPERIAL

LCAD | 2014

SIGNAGE

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

INFORMATIONAL

The map is simple and uses the cohesive symbol guide that is used for the way finding system. It is large enough for viewing with 3 or more people and uses plant life as a attention grabbing device.

SECTION 4.5

LA RIVER IDENTITY GUIDELINES

Top view

Front facing view

Side view

RICARDO IMPERIAL

LCAD | 2014

APPAREL + PACKAGING

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

APPAREL

Shirts and hats are for members of the river clean up crew.

SECTION 4.6

LA RIVER IDENTITY GUIDELINES

PACKAGING

Aquaponics tank

LCAD | 2014

RICARDO IMPERIAL

Seed bomb packaging.

STATIONARY

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

STATIONARY

Full stationary set

SECTION 4.7

LA RIVER IDENTITY GUIDELINES

RICARDO IMPERIAL

LCAD | 2014

STATIONARY

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

WEB + U/I

The website is simple and easy to use for all ages. The website contains that same features as the mobile app.

SECTION 4.8

LA RIVER IDENTITY GUIDELINES

RICARDO IMPERIAL

LCAD | 2014

STATIONARY

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

MOBILE APP

The mobile app allows access to a GPS map and other features like renting gear and reserving picnic areas.

SECTION 4.9

LA RIVER IDENTITY GUIDELINES

APRIL 22, 2014

PERFECT WEATHER FOR KAYAKING

MAP Kayak due in 1 hr. 25 min.

RENTALS ADVENTURES RESERVATIONS

Mark C. is looking for you.

FRIEND FINDER PHOTO

Movie starts in 3 hrs. 25 min.

EVENTS

Movie starts in 3 hrs. 25 min.

Movie starts in 3 hrs. 25 min.

Mark C. is looking for you.

Mark C. is looking for you.

RENTALS

MAP

Kayak due in 1 hr. 25 min.

Canoga Park Map SHERMAN WAY.

kayak

1

2 hrs.

$20

fishing

2

Pole Bait

$10

bikes

0

kites

0

safari

0

BELL CREEK

VANOWEN ST.

VICTORY BLVD

2 HRS.

1 KAYAK 2 FISHING POLES

N

total:$30 PAYPAL

CANCEL

W S

CREDIT CARD

LCAD | 2014

Art Gallery

Picnic Area

Parking

Rentals

Stage

Fishing+ Kayaking

Path

Bike Trail

E Nature Center

Garden

RICARDO IMPERIAL

911

STATIONARY

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

BUILDINGS

The nature center is an educational building which had information about the importance of our planet, ways to preserve it, and contains some of the wildlife that surrounds the LA River.

SECTION 4.10

LA RIVER IDENTITY GUIDELINES

RICARDO IMPERIAL

The art gallery holds shows based out of Los Angeles’ artist community.

LCAD | 2014

5

CONCLUSION

T

he LA river will promote LA residents to plant gardens and revive

the natural life of what was once a flourishing green city. If the current state of the LA River can be cleaned up, so can the city. It effects our ocean, our animals, which in the end, effects our lives and health. The agriculture that once flourished in the early days of LA can be restored, but it needs to inform citizens by attracting them to the river and educating them.