EU Aquaponics Hub Realising Sustainable Integrated Fish and Vegetable Production for the EU London

completed Apr 2016

The EU Aquaponics Hub is a four year COST (Cooperation in Science and Technology) networking action which has outgrown its initial site.  The project team was looking to create a fresh new site, starting with a revision and redesign of the logo.

Brand design to make a strong mark

Expressing the message

Project brief:

The original logo had been created at the start of the EU Aquaponics Hub action by chair and former graphic designer Dr Benz Kotzen and the team was looking to update this alongside the website’s design. Our initial task was to update the logo and create a fresh foundation for a design update of the site later on.

brief outline

  • advise on the effectiveness of current logo
  • work on update of existing graphic
  • experiment with current concepts
  • create a strong mark with a fitting colour scheme
    (to inform the site’s new design)
  • typeface preference: Helvetica

  • layout experiments for a type-only logo

    typeface: Helvetica Bold

  • first logo, components and colours

    as designed by Dr Benz Kotzen

  • evolving existing visual elements

    working with talapia fish and plants

  • experiments by Dr Benz Kotzen

    and iterations for a more artistic, Matisse-inspired graphic style for the plant element

  • finalising the shape of the leaf

    variations of tomatoe leaves, simplified for scaling

  • final logo & colours

    confirmed typeface: Helvetica Bold

What we did:

  • provided feedback on design of current logo
  • collected/presented research
  • iterations on existing concepts
  • proposal of new graphic angle
  • final design for logo and colour scheme

Also part of the brief:

Academic projects for a wider audience

Promoting actions & reporting academic research

read case study