Wednesday 6 November 2013

Brief 3 // Iconic Cities // Design Research

After doing the research into the cities and finding the relevant information needed for the guide, I have had a look at some existing travel guides to see how they have been done.

I know from the start that I want to create either one big publication or smaller ones for each cities. The information inside the publications, need to be able to be removable so the user can take it out and take it with them on city break.



I really like the idea of this guide. I think that is is fun and interesting within the design of it and the way it has been put together makes it more interesting to read. The binding of this guide fits the criteria of what i want in order to create the guide in the way that i want to. It enables the pages to be ripped out, but yet more can be added or taken away at the same time. Using the elastic band makes the pages bind together and keeps them all fastened in.

The style of the guide is interesting too, it seems to be aimed at a much younger audience and engaging with them through the use of photography and the type used also. I think this is a good example of how to make it more aimed at the audience I am looking at. Lastly the way in which the guide has been made to create a pack, by simple having the front cover fold around the edge and fasten in the back cover, again this makes a publication simply and easily into a pack, which could then include further items inside the book, by the use of a pocket on the front cover.





Looking at the guide from a different perspective, I could create a single travel guide for each city. This could take an interesting format and be abit more interesting within the design of publication by doing this. With this publication i like how the outer cover is actually a smaller publication in itself, this contains information and maps about the city, the main publication has things to do within the city and then there is a fold out map, which slides into the smaller publication. Again this is a publication but at the same time creates a 'pack' as it is more than just the one publication. With this design I like how the different formats have been used together and how they separate the information up.

The use of photography and illustration is still used throughout the publication, but it is designed more loosely as there isn't a full on structure to the publication page design. It takes on a more printed feel - screen - printed. I do like this publication and the different styles used within, but I don't know if this will communicate the information correctly, it has a DIY feel to it and that makes me think that the information isn't as reliable, which could possibly deter people from using it, but then again as it is created and designed differently it may attract more people.




This is an example of how to use the photography within the publication. The design of the publication isn't anything like I would want to design it, but the use of photography attracted me to this design. I think this communicates the city really well, it shows everything about it and with the photography being so strong, it makes the publication a bold statement about the city and stand out.




This again is another guide which has the use of photography running through it. There are three components to this guide, which is another interesting way of approaching it. I like all three elements to the guide, the photography comes across strong and with the use of black and white photography against the vibrant orange it stands out.

I like the use of the notebook style guide, I think this gives the guide a more student identity to it which again appeals to the younger audience I am aiming it at.







These two examples above are very much concentrating on the format of the guide. Both have an interesting way of dealing with this and how they create a different guide through the use of formats.

Both guides use fold out pages within the the guide to present with more information or images on the city, I think these smaller elements could be brought into my own guide to firstly create a bigger content area and secondly to make it more interactive within the use of the guide.






Lastly these final two design ideas, show how I could possibly expand the project and create some extra products which could be part of the 'pack' that I create with the guide. This again brings up more possibilities as if I start to look at products which can be seen as part of a travel pack, these will be three dimensional products meaning that the pack will have to be much bigger, which I'm not sure if thats how i want it to be. With a bigger pack, I think this will deter people from using it as they won't want to carry it around them and it also takes up valuable space within bags etc. Also this would just be the same as products which are out there, just with the travel guides branding applied, so really they are a little pointless.

I think looking at other products which will work with the guide and be of use to the user within there city experience is a better way of approaching this. I want products which aren't so big and chunky so the pack is kept to a smaller size to back up the point made above. I do like the products above and think that they do work for the audience and for the purpose of the product, but i don't think they are necessary for what I am creating. The aesthetic of the products is a good insight into how I could create the design around my own products though.


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