edenspiekermann_ Edo van Dijk

The City of Amsterdam puts the lesser known attractions outside the city centre on the map with a new smartphone app and with special signs, linked via QR-codes to the app. Edenspiekermann developed – together with the Amsterdam Tourism and Congress Board (ATCB) – a series of 140 signs to mark these spots throughout the city.

By doing this, the city hopes to spread tourism by telling interesting stories about buildings, locations and neighborhoods outside of the world-renowned canal belt. We chose a form for the signs that is appropriate for Amsterdam: authentic, handshaped square ceramic tiles reminiscent of the 16th century ‘Hollandse witjes’ (‘Holland whites’). The characteristic red crosses on the signs link the signs both to the locations on the digital map in the smartphone app (x marks the spot) and link the signs also to the Amsterdam logo, consisting of three of these bright red crosses (see also our case study on the Style of Amsterdam).

By pointing your smartphone at the large QR-code at the bottom of the sign, the accompanying I amsterdam app gives you more historic photographs and background information. It also points the way to other signs in the direct vicinity.

The signs are composed of square shaped, handmade ceramic tiles, produced by the internationally renowned Royal Tichelaar factory of Makkum, Friesland. Beedesign was responsible for the fixtures and placement of the signs.

How does the creative process of developing a new brand identity work? Processed Identity is a website that documents the creative processes behind logo and brand identity design. A recently added case study explains how Edenspiekermann developed the award winning identity for the Utrecht City Theatre.

Processed Identity was launched in 2010 by Steve Zelle, a logo and brand identity designer with over twenty years of experience. He currently operates under the name idApostle, based in Ottawa, Canada.

With all the discussion about stock logos and the multitude of sites that highlight logos of the day, Steve Zelle wanted to build a place that goes deeper into the story behind logos. “There is a lot of talk about how pretty something is but not about the thought that goes on behind the logo,” he explains. “The intent of Processed Identity is to illustrate to designers and clients what is lost when engaging in a ‘cattle call’ through €99 logo sites, contests, spec work and crowdsourcing.”

Read the entire Creative Process Study of the Utrecht City Theatre on processedidentity.com

2010 was undoubtedly the year of the pension debate in The Netherlands. Although opinions still differ, market watchers agree that change is needed. How can the system remain shock resistant? What kind of security does a pension offer? What role does communication play in this? In Mn Services' new annual reports, experts provide their opinions on these issues, each from their own perspective.

Mn Services are leaders in Fiduciary Management, working with pensions schemes to achieve their ultimate goal of providing for their employees’ post-retirement income. The core activities of Mn Services in The Netherlands and abroad are pension administration and asset management.

Edenspiekermann developed the overall concept of the annual reports and was responsible for the art direction and visual design of the three reports: financial, social and CSR.

This summer, the City of Amsterdam will start rolling out a new signage system for visitors and inhabitants, designed by Edenspiekermann. The signs are composed of square shaped, handmade ceramic tiles, produced by the internationally renowned Royal Tichelaar factory of Makkum, Friesland. A striking red cross links each sign to the Style of Amsterdam and to a marker on the map on the city’s website. QR codes link the signs to a page on the same website with more historic information about the location, the building or its famous former occupant. More info will follow soon!

It took some time and some neighbourly convincing here and there, but last week the new signage and lettering of the Westerdokhuis were installed. The typeface we used is one of our proprietary house faces, the Espi Pro. Espi is based on the FF Unit,  designed by Christian Schwartz and Erik Spiekermann in 2003.

We used matte black Alu-Panel as base material and used a simple folding technique to wrap the signs around corners. The lettering is applied in pre-spaced white self adhesive film.