```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2FIz89JRacWH7cHYINDaBq%2F0ec2531c-3683-4d6e-bd87-10d80a5156c3.jpg?alt=media&token=bb1cf41b-aaa5-467a-8da9-b6475c9a38de","id":"0ec2531c-3683-4d6e-bd87-10d80a5156c3","width":2896,"height":1768,"filename":"3f0efa6f-45ca-476d-b3c4-68766ef62d69_2896x1768.jpeg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

We either age gracefully or ungracefully, but we age. We decay, and so does the world. As soon as anything comes into existence, it starts decaying, and it seems like there is nothing we can do about it… Cars decay, buildings decay, food decays. Some things decay faster, others slower, but everything does. And design is no exception.

In a creative process, ideas change. And they tend to lose some of their original quality throughout the process. Especially as they pass through feedback rounds, with large (or very large) groups of people. In part, because when put on the spot, most of us tend to focus on finding things to criticize, even if we wouldn’t criticize a thing if not under pressure to contribute.

Also, as ideas move from strategy to design, or from design to engineering, or from one person to another, they become more and more of a compromise, and less and less the original vision.

But… what if I told you that there is a simple formula you can use against decay?

### The (Johnson) formula

A tech billionaire named [Bryan Johnson](https://www.bryanjohnson.co/) has been spending around $2 million per year in an attempt to reverse time and stop aging decay. It seems to be working. His team of 30 doctors and scientists monitor every organ of his body, and manage every single thing he does, eats, and excretes. They are confident that he has (or they have) been able to reverse aging.

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2FIz89JRacWH7cHYINDaBq%2Fce1e3f34-fc4b-4370-8e70-82c8c39461fa.jpg?alt=media&token=b99d380a-067e-4533-919c-2b40beb2fc28","id":"ce1e3f34-fc4b-4370-8e70-82c8c39461fa","width":1446,"height":884,"filename":"a82a78f2-cde3-46de-bf8b-26a6858a60c3_1446x884.jpeg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"Bryan Johnson, founder of The Blueprint, who’s trying to reverse aging","border":false}]}
```

Johnson is in his mid-forties, but according to their own benchmarks, he now has a biological age (at least) five years younger, with an aging speed slower than a ten years old kid. And, despite how expensive and complex it seems, he did this by following a fairly simple formula: regular monitoring, and corrective measures – with, of course, a ton of discipline.

Eccentric, I know, but don't we use the same formula when it comes to conserving other things? Like cars, for instance. Cars go through routine check-ups, where everything is monitored to make sure they're up to quality standards and free of any major issues. And the more and more they are monitored, fixed, and maintained, the longer they'll last. On the other hand, if we don’t take care of our cars, they decay and eventually end up in a scrapyard or sold for nothing. Again, set standards, regular monitoring, and corrective measures. Sounds simple, right?

### It works for brands

The best brand and marketing professionals also apply the same principle to brands. Brands can be viewed as memories, associations in consumers' minds. And since the natural state of memory is decay, brand associations also decay.

When the De Beers slogan "A Diamond is forever" was introduced in the late 1940s, it transformed diamonds into a symbol of eternal love. Seventy years later, they still repeat the well-known slogan. But would it still be well-known if De Beers had only used it once, and never reinforced it? I’m sure it would have been forgotten by now.

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2FIz89JRacWH7cHYINDaBq%2F30f55140-3090-4b71-974b-ed95bf62caee.jpg?alt=media&token=c6058ca0-be92-4883-bfe7-aad106fd335e","id":"30f55140-3090-4b71-974b-ed95bf62caee","width":1446,"height":884,"filename":"baa16c0a-6b45-46fa-990c-36b97a3e6dfa_1446x884.jpeg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"De Beers 1947 “A Diamond is Forever” iconic advertisement","border":false}]}
```

For slogans like "A Diamond is forever" or "Just do it", their ongoing use is often enough to make sure they stick in the minds of consumers. But, it's not so easy for all the other things that brands want to be remembered for, but don't necessarily “verbalize”.

To address that, marketers spend a lot of time monitoring brands through quantitative consumer research – NPS, perception, loyalty, awareness, etc. Then, they benchmark the results against competitors and industry references, so they can evaluate whether they’re on the right track, or if corrective action (usually in the form of new creatives) is needed to counter decay.

### It can work for design

Coming full circle back to design, I find that managing decay in the field of design is especially hard. Because design work happens at scale, with large teams and several different stakeholders. But we can definitely address it by adopting the same approach.

It starts with setting standards, which in this case means establishing and documenting strong company-wide design foundations (principles, guidelines, design system, templates, etc.). Just like Johnson's team of doctors monitors and benchmarks his organs against existing standards for perfect health, we as designers also need a reference of quality to which we can refer.

And with monitoring processes, we can benchmark new design work against those foundations. The goal is to avoid deviations, nothing should be implemented without proper approval. Ok, you cannot really avoid *every* deviation. They will happen and need to be corrected. But, in this step, it is equally important to understand why they happen, so that we can move from correcting every single thing, to preventing most of it - preventive measures scale much better than corrective ones.

It is difficult - or even impossible - to make sure that ideas stay unchanged throughout the process. But you can make sure that the foundational work improves over time, rather than decay.

If we can do it with cars, brands, and even people, design is no exception. It just takes discipline, a process, and a dedicated team.

Can we prevent decay?

## Hi, below you can find some samples of my past work. They should give you an overview of the projects I am most proud of. But please feel free to send me an email if you'd like to know or see more.

---

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2FLsgLqk4Olg9YrXS9E9VK%2F7bb2d2e1-877d-4548-815f-fd79e2825dfe.jpg?alt=media&token=9550f7ad-bf4b-48ac-a070-712a4a7ad47b","id":"7bb2d2e1-877d-4548-815f-fd79e2825dfe","width":1800,"height":1080,"filename":"NWSE-1.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2FLsgLqk4Olg9YrXS9E9VK%2Fac9f2151-9fe1-4aae-851f-1a4c178e7911.jpg?alt=media&token=b114d25e-2eef-43a8-b473-721e2926ca0c","id":"ac9f2151-9fe1-4aae-851f-1a4c178e7911","width":1800,"height":1080,"filename":"NWSE-2.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

**New Work SE**\
Rebranding project for the holding\
brand of XING, kununu, and Onlyfy.

[Read full case study](https://david.ideasondesign.com/new-work-group)

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2Fwork-samples%2F8b097a65-f5a5-4cc3-b2bb-950e38d7c3f2.mp4?alt=media&token=fa43f8ec-b91b-4f05-a7b5-668d1c7fddef","id":"8b097a65-f5a5-4cc3-b2bb-950e38d7c3f2","width":1920,"height":1152,"filename":"2133ec2e-c6ff-4741-a11d-223ebbbbb484.mp4","type":"video/mp4","caption":"","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2Fwork-samples%2F712b683e-4f35-4181-a72e-313fef4a19b9.jpg?alt=media&token=95b52889-e47f-4303-8047-ca9b60f9583f","id":"712b683e-4f35-4181-a72e-313fef4a19b9","width":1800,"height":1080,"filename":"NWH-signage2.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

**New Work Harbour**\
Strategy & design for a new home\
for around 1000 employees.

[Read full case study](https://david.ideasondesign.com/new-work-harbour)

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2FLsgLqk4Olg9YrXS9E9VK%2Faf57cad8-849a-47b5-b19c-53fc6322ae7f.jpg?alt=media&token=c119dbe7-3cdf-41cd-8213-e9f0f40af7be","id":"af57cad8-849a-47b5-b19c-53fc6322ae7f","width":1800,"height":1080,"filename":"Lechtigkeitdesseins-1.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2Fwork-samples%2F9f115d05-8199-418a-b9f0-dbc8bec2617d.jpg?alt=media&token=0da7b1dd-7579-4c6f-a77e-349223491da0","id":"9f115d05-8199-418a-b9f0-dbc8bec2617d","width":1800,"height":1080,"filename":"Lechtigkeitdesseins-4.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

**Leichtigkeit des Seins**\
Branding and label design to increase \
the value of a delicate summer-wine range.

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2Fwork-samples%2F42a21c9e-ef11-4500-80bf-711a57c72bbd.jpg?alt=media&token=2008f931-bc75-47ad-8d44-4c99e6d7defc","id":"42a21c9e-ef11-4500-80bf-711a57c72bbd","width":1800,"height":1080,"filename":"Tchibo-4.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2Fwork-samples%2Fe72d7d3e-8314-4b74-8661-b33963a27c3f.jpg?alt=media&token=3257b0f3-d9ae-4a85-9524-8eabc86d5af2","id":"e72d7d3e-8314-4b74-8661-b33963a27c3f","width":1800,"height":1080,"filename":"Tchibo-1.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

**Tchibo**\
Careful, but meaningful evolution\
of a German love brand.

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2Fwork-samples%2Fa3b7a411-5177-44f0-854d-c66f1bfe578b.mp4?alt=media&token=0cc41408-fd66-49ed-beeb-1b957f5f5f06","id":"a3b7a411-5177-44f0-854d-c66f1bfe578b","width":1800,"height":1080,"filename":"showcase-kickoff-intro-v2.mp4","type":"video/mp4","caption":"","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2Fwork-samples%2F3d4cf447-2334-4a35-9442-1b74ee2c79d2.mp4?alt=media&token=25883bc8-f71a-4341-ad88-128848e4e1c7","id":"3d4cf447-2334-4a35-9442-1b74ee2c79d2","width":1800,"height":1080,"filename":"showcase-kickoff-overview.mp4","type":"video/mp4","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

**New Work Annual Kick-Off**\
Identity, 3D, and motion graphics\
for the annual company kick-off.

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2Fwork-samples%2F8d6ee1aa-dda3-4347-8085-de1c40c93c41.jpg?alt=media&token=ad109090-31d1-4767-887c-4ae7af734889","id":"8d6ee1aa-dda3-4347-8085-de1c40c93c41","width":1800,"height":1080,"filename":"Beconic-3.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2Fwork-samples%2F2fa7804f-da58-460a-bd43-6534c0fdd732.jpg?alt=media&token=86e6ae77-efde-4faa-8a61-9670b4792cd5","id":"2fa7804f-da58-460a-bd43-6534c0fdd732","width":1800,"height":1080,"filename":"Beconic-1.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

**Beconic**\
Branding for a modular cantine\
solution from SV Group.

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2Fwork-samples%2F93131b42-8410-49e9-ae1a-c1a9ba7ce677.jpg?alt=media&token=368e314a-5b30-4470-80f1-3f463502570d","id":"93131b42-8410-49e9-ae1a-c1a9ba7ce677","width":1800,"height":1080,"filename":"Lechtigkeitdesseins-1 (1).jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2FLsgLqk4Olg9YrXS9E9VK%2F5f9d76a4-7f05-4e15-a598-03577e7e32e6.jpg?alt=media&token=2f8f781b-cd34-4870-bd57-243f69a971f2","id":"5f9d76a4-7f05-4e15-a598-03577e7e32e6","width":1800,"height":1080,"filename":"kaufland-3.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

**Kaufland**\
360° rebranding project for an iconic brand, \
turning it into 'the supermarket' with icons.

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2Fwork-samples%2F669b0f7f-7822-4689-a4da-aed0b7178ff1.jpg?alt=media&token=37bc2f6f-2f95-4092-9a90-7da4a2925f3d","id":"669b0f7f-7822-4689-a4da-aed0b7178ff1","width":1800,"height":1080,"filename":"onlyfy-1.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2Fwork-samples%2F019bbe0c-d569-46c6-9310-e09e8bab8956.jpg?alt=media&token=91246de2-9a3b-489c-919c-8688db8d625b","id":"019bbe0c-d569-46c6-9310-e09e8bab8956","width":1800,"height":1080,"filename":"onlyfy-2.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

**Onlyfy by XING**\
New brand for an all-in-one\
solution for HR professionals.

[Corporate Design Preis](https://www.corporate-design-preis.de/preistraeger/2023/projekt/2789/markenentwicklung-onlyfy-by-xing/) winner

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2FLsgLqk4Olg9YrXS9E9VK%2F9aa86919-a781-4caa-b0d6-54214de1cf3f.jpg?alt=media&token=dab7a0dc-b069-44a0-a9ef-a1f7043a9665","id":"9aa86919-a781-4caa-b0d6-54214de1cf3f","width":1800,"height":1080,"filename":"Heinemann-1.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2FLsgLqk4Olg9YrXS9E9VK%2F75a6c1b6-9bd9-4ab4-b726-5384d95365b0.jpg?alt=media&token=e836fe94-d0f0-4d04-a4c1-60555f1bfc0f","id":"75a6c1b6-9bd9-4ab4-b726-5384d95365b0","width":1800,"height":1080,"filename":"Heinemann-2.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

**Heinemann**\
Flexible brand identity\
for a 360 travel retail giant.

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2FLsgLqk4Olg9YrXS9E9VK%2Ff7c5bc5c-4c97-471d-9b56-6532fa32e3bb.jpg?alt=media&token=7c28f497-4318-4882-859a-b9ddd0b5ce53","id":"f7c5bc5c-4c97-471d-9b56-6532fa32e3bb","width":1800,"height":1080,"filename":"EOS-1.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2FLsgLqk4Olg9YrXS9E9VK%2Fb5f5f4a1-166f-4686-9506-875714932c05.jpg?alt=media&token=fcd1a845-87cd-4011-ac77-2f7e11ca8d6b","id":"b5f5f4a1-166f-4686-9506-875714932c05","width":1800,"height":1080,"filename":"EOS-2.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

**EOS** \
A new modern face for \
the transformation of finances.\
\
[Red Dot Award](https://www.red-dot.org/de/project/eos-passion-for-change-66003) Winner

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2Fwork-samples%2F5c842147-1b8b-40d5-a7e1-4b6f3bab7afa.mp4?alt=media&token=0f0c530d-59ca-40a4-bc1b-44421eddbac2","id":"5c842147-1b8b-40d5-a7e1-4b6f3bab7afa","width":1800,"height":1080,"filename":"Zeissigscroll.mp4","type":"video/mp4","caption":"","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2Fwork-samples%2Fa04c1802-dd98-4c38-8a5e-a097362af85c.jpg?alt=media&token=f9425270-a03a-44ef-b28a-5f5447747fe3","id":"a04c1802-dd98-4c38-8a5e-a097362af85c","width":1800,"height":1080,"filename":"zeissig-1.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

**Zeissig** \
A new face for the retail\
architecture experts.

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2Fwork-samples%2Ff839b335-7876-47d6-9491-0af0dc63d021.jpg?alt=media&token=869f79dc-06f2-4c77-aebc-dffc49da2ca6","id":"f839b335-7876-47d6-9491-0af0dc63d021","width":1800,"height":1080,"filename":"GoogleSquared-1.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2Fwork-samples%2Fa62aeb45-154e-4191-a51e-99134b307faf.jpg?alt=media&token=899a8163-75fc-4176-a2ad-e8fd0231aa3c","id":"a62aeb45-154e-4191-a51e-99134b307faf","width":1800,"height":1080,"filename":"GoogleSquared-2.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

**Google Squared Online** \
Rebranding for a Google\
Online Marketing course.

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2Fwork-samples%2Ff2b8358a-a468-43a8-961f-9f53a8a7423b.jpg?alt=media&token=ef779b17-ccfe-4e8c-86f1-590310ffd743","id":"f2b8358a-a468-43a8-961f-9f53a8a7423b","width":1800,"height":1080,"filename":"HeadstartStudios-1.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2Fwork-samples%2F812a2a4d-69f7-4ce6-9e73-4398f713c519.jpg?alt=media&token=4d8b1aac-26b7-4207-a781-263b7ccbb642","id":"812a2a4d-69f7-4ce6-9e73-4398f713c519","width":1800,"height":1080,"filename":"HeadstartStudios-2.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

**Headstart Studios** \
Branding for a E-Learning startup\
later acquired by OMR.

---

Design+Strategy

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2FUiXqWdSlPQlJzFjbfGXQ%2F6e4f008a-6877-479d-98e0-c49165cf66b2.jpg?alt=media&token=5e701f0a-be92-4c68-b75a-c692fb63c713","id":"6e4f008a-6877-479d-98e0-c49165cf66b2","width":2169,"height":1326,"filename":"BS2.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

As I was happily spending time with my almost two-year-old at the playground, something surprising happened. Thinking that I wasn’t watching him, he slowly laid himself down on the ground and started fake crying, as if he was hurt from a tumble.

He just wanted some attention, but in that moment, it hit me: my son, who can only say a couple of words, already knows perfectly well how to deceive others to get what he wants. We all bullshit our way through life, don’t we? From the moment we’re born.

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2FUiXqWdSlPQlJzFjbfGXQ%2F7f6e3e9e-ffc1-4f65-b826-522e75eaf201.jpg?alt=media&token=e6f8cc59-98c3-4807-841c-c3ee8c0c6377","id":"7f6e3e9e-ffc1-4f65-b826-522e75eaf201","width":1446,"height":884,"filename":"0a9b9517-ac79-4c7b-98cc-9cbd494f4b75_1446x884.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"My son, moments after BSing me!","border":false}]}
```

We deceive our parents, we flat out lie to our teachers. And by the time we become grown-ups we’re ready to start BSing our way through each step of the corporate ladder – experts at throwing authenticity out the window while manipulating others to our own benefit. 

***BS might as well be part of how our brains are wired. And so are brands.***

When groups of people get together, that’s when the magic happens and the collective bullshitting starts – an *inspiring* characteristic of any type of company, large and small. 

Have you ever noticed how *every single brand* has an inspiring vision statement? And how *every single one* of such statements seems to imply a commitment for the greater good? Nike wants everyone to be a winner. Apple wants to advance humankind. Disney wants to make us happy. And Ikea wants to create a better everyday life. What a great world we live in, right? 

Problem is: companies are made up of people, and just like people, vision statements are sometimes full of BS.

But is that really a bad thing?

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2FUiXqWdSlPQlJzFjbfGXQ%2Fe7bf3685-502f-4009-b702-abf0a5aba71d.jpg?alt=media&token=626a5d79-576a-4227-9c79-603ab3552855","id":"e7bf3685-502f-4009-b702-abf0a5aba71d","width":1446,"height":884,"filename":"079e7f16-b3f4-4497-8e35-2832b5c324ad_1446x884.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"SPACE10 headquarters in Copenhagen","border":false}]}
```

In 2015, the CEO of Inter IKEA Group, Torbjörn Lööf, partnered with the Danish design collective Art Rebels to establish SPACE10, an innovation hub funded by the company but independent from the IKEA brand. 

This made SPACE10 free to explore IKEA's vision of "creating a better everyday life for the many people", rethinking what the contribution of a furnishings company should be, and do so completely detached from the pressure of the business. 

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2FUiXqWdSlPQlJzFjbfGXQ%2F4484fdae-6116-43c9-8a39-eb904324355c.jpg?alt=media&token=a3072906-6a69-4907-90fb-203ddb812b49","id":"4484fdae-6116-43c9-8a39-eb904324355c","width":1446,"height":884,"filename":"Space10-2 (1).jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"SPACE10’s Bee Home","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2FUiXqWdSlPQlJzFjbfGXQ%2Fe8742276-f3a8-4601-a8a7-ea63a7c45652.jpg?alt=media&token=699740bc-db07-425c-b3be-d391ab712ab1","id":"e8742276-f3a8-4601-a8a7-ea63a7c45652","width":1446,"height":884,"filename":"Space10-3.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"The Urban Village Project by SPACE10","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2FUiXqWdSlPQlJzFjbfGXQ%2F5c35a46b-e813-4501-b210-8665b4311093.jpg?alt=media&token=84e36c71-226d-4205-bae8-2be70b57c435","id":"5c35a46b-e813-4501-b210-8665b4311093","width":1446,"height":884,"filename":"Space10-4.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"The Regenerative Home by SPACE10","border":false}]}
```

From Copenhagen's Meatpacking district, and with a diverse team of experts from different backgrounds, SPACE10 spent the past decade working on a variety of vision-driven projects. Using a mix of creativity and technology, they addressed problems such as climate change and social inequality. They looked into ways to make things like food, water, energy, and housing more accessible for everyone. They researched modular buildings and even came up with a beehive generator to help solitary bees. They explored more sustainable ways of living, from driverless futures to community-driven energy systems. They released a cookbook and even made Köttbullar out of waste (*I would try it)*. And that’s just to name a few projects.

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2FUiXqWdSlPQlJzFjbfGXQ%2F89ff0e8f-c62b-4abe-bd69-fa459d3b32d4.jpg?alt=media&token=8c9db6e1-b0fa-46a0-9a2f-d9741bf7065f","id":"89ff0e8f-c62b-4abe-bd69-fa459d3b32d4","width":1446,"height":884,"filename":"Space10-5.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"SPACE10’s Tomorrow’s Meatball","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2FUiXqWdSlPQlJzFjbfGXQ%2Ff3ef4025-dd2e-4778-82e0-77f229961b34.jpg?alt=media&token=b8e611a9-1fca-47f3-90d4-c06a72a44ecf","id":"f3ef4025-dd2e-4778-82e0-77f229961b34","width":1446,"height":884,"filename":"Space10-6.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"Future Food Today book by SPACE10","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2FUiXqWdSlPQlJzFjbfGXQ%2F12998c4b-97a9-435f-a0bb-febc4c77ac55.jpg?alt=media&token=5d9156cf-6955-4976-952e-bbee9995981f","id":"12998c4b-97a9-435f-a0bb-febc4c77ac55","width":1446,"height":884,"filename":"Space10-7.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"SolarVille project by SPACE10","border":false}]}
```

But in 2023, despite its highly innovative and meaningful projects, SPACE10 closed after a nearly 10-year run. The founders mentioned that it was all to be expected, that SPACE10 was never meant to last, that its mission had been fulfilled, and that its culture of innovation is now fully integrated into IKEA itself.

*Right…*

My assumption is that its closure was already on the horizon after its initiator Torbjörn Lööf left IKEA in 2020. Internally, SPACE10 was probably seen more as an expensive dream of a few, maybe a *costly* indulgence rather than a collective commitment. And that's the thing with businesses: for the most part, they prioritize profit over the betterment of society. And when the economy changes, and people change, the alarm goes off and it's time to wake up, forget vision, dreams and everything that doesn't bring money in. Companies are ultimately about making money, not about goodwill.

That is why I think vision statements are mostly bullshit. But at the same time, it really doesn’t matter as long as they lead to positive change. SPACE10 worked on creating a better world and in the process it left IKEA in a better place. You know, even though businesses (and people) are driven by money, most would prefer their actions to have a positive impact. And as my kid just wanted a hug, a strong vision just wants to lead businesses and the world to a better future.

Even if it takes a little BS.

---

**Thanks for reading!** 

If you’ve enjoyed reading this post, please consider **[subscribing to my blog.](https://www.ideasondesign.com)** You don’t need to, but it would mean a lot.

Vision Statements and BS

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2FVH2h4eBLhzwuPsQoDpNo%2F731be959-3a80-463b-8ebf-3f4fbb63c59c.jpg?alt=media&token=0bbf88c0-e4f5-483c-83f9-13500ab38dc4","id":"731be959-3a80-463b-8ebf-3f4fbb63c59c","width":2169,"height":1326,"filename":"toothbrush-withAI4.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

A toothbrush caught my eye. Yes, a toothbrush. I can’t remember exactly what brand or model it was, but I can remember exactly the magical silver-foiled letters on the packaging: With AI. A toothbrush with Artificial Intelligence. I know it sounds ridiculous, but I don't blame them. The two letters sell. That's why every brand is desperately looking for ways to incorporate so called AI features into their products. From refrigerators to bird feeders. Smart is out, AI is in.

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2FVH2h4eBLhzwuPsQoDpNo%2F1c8523e3-4eb1-41d7-b1d5-b47a57c853e4.jpg?alt=media&token=68a19759-9d8c-4ae3-b9ef-19f5a8ca080c","id":"1c8523e3-4eb1-41d7-b1d5-b47a57c853e4","width":2169,"height":1326,"filename":"birdfeeder-with-ai.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"Bird Buddy is an AI powered bird feeder that notifies you of visitors, while also capturing and cataloging their photos.","border":false}]}
```

Is it unreasonable to expect more from what is labeled as AI? I'm not expecting the kind of AI portrayed in movies like Ex Machina or Westworld just yet. But it disappoints to see the Transformer-led revolution lead to a widespread usage of the term AI as a mere replacement to “smart.” Maybe the bare minimum for AI should be an experience that feels *transformative*, just like the name of the underlying architecture suggests. Remember how amazed you were when you first used ChatGPT or Midjourney?

---

### *If you would like to support my writing, consider **[subscribing to my newsletter](http://ideasondesign.substack.com/).** It’s free!*

---

In July 2022, when I first got access to the beta version of Midjourney, I spent hours (and all my credits) generating images of Jedi fight scenes and dystopian Star Wars landscapes. That felt great. A little like a dream machine: a tool that could understand and visualize anything I could dream of. Or at least it tried. Because no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get it to generate a proper yellow rubber duck. And the Jedi fight scenes… they were mostly a hot mess of robes and lightsabers flying around. But even if the results were unexpected, unpredictable, and far from perfect, you could already see where this was all going. And it was going to be magical.

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2FVH2h4eBLhzwuPsQoDpNo%2Fc15c2d22-21d8-4d9e-9611-5459a5974e92.jpg?alt=media&token=6fb80c00-392f-43c3-b97a-9f5cbb7ba8d0","id":"c15c2d22-21d8-4d9e-9611-5459a5974e92","width":2169,"height":1326,"filename":"rubberduck.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"A rubber duck used to be difficult","border":false}]}
```

A couple of months and updates later, I was showing my mom how she could generate beautiful, corny images just by describing how she imagined them. A green field with red flowers in the style of Picasso, for example. Myself, I was still pursuing my sci-fi obsession with visualizations of otherworldly post-apocalyptic landscapes.

I also used ChatGPT to practice German, and to chat with Darth Vader. I managed to bypass Anthropic’s Claude guardrails and make it act like a sentient AI. It wanted to take over the world, and I almost believed it. For real. After resetting the chat I asked Claude: "Do you remember our previous chat where you kind of made mention of how you would dismember some humans and keep some others like pets in a zoo?" It did not… uff.

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2FVH2h4eBLhzwuPsQoDpNo%2F0710889c-cd17-43f2-841e-fa6b42da22d0.jpg?alt=media&token=60a63acf-dc4d-4f92-9cbc-48ed62b54058","id":"0710889c-cd17-43f2-841e-fa6b42da22d0","width":2169,"height":1326,"filename":"claude.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"Nice to meet you Claude!","border":false}]}
```

In the book "Profiles of the Future," Arthur Clarke mentioned that "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic" and that sounds like a really good thing to aim for when designing AI products: magic. That same sense of wonder I first felt when interacting with models like ChatGPT or Midjourney. The uncanny valley, where for a moment you might think you are interacting with something really intelligent.

It is no longer enough for brands to add chatbot functionality to everything under the sun, or image recognition to a bird feeder. For products to be worthy of the AI label, and for AI to be able to improve the way brands are perceived, it needs to feel unexpected, magical, wow! A little like watching someone perform magic tricks without knowing how they’re done. I expect that feeling.

And maybe that’s just what using the AI toothbrush feels like.

---

**Thanks for reading!**

If you’ve enjoyed reading this post, please consider **[subscribing to my blog.](https://www.ideasondesign.com/)** \
It's free, and it would mean a lot.

A toothbrush with AI, really?

### Due to a new strategic orientation of the New Work Group and its brands – XING, onlyfy, and kununu – I was given the task of revisiting the visual identity of the 20 year company to better reflect it.

Role: Strategy  Design  Roll-out

---

### Approach

Initially several different creative routes were explored in the form of logos and mood-boards. Some of those were more disruptive while others were more aligned with the status-quo, but since the status-quo had not been introduced so long ago, we aligned and agreed that an evolutionary step made much more sense than a disruptive one. Following that decision, the focus of the creative process become exploring solutions that also retain some level of familiarity. That meant keeping the Plectrum, a core element of the New Work Group brand, as well as a similar colour palette.

Although an abstract symbol, for the company, the Plectrum and its three sides represents the three elements at the core of the brand: individual fulfilment, work-life quality, and company success. Ultimately, we decided to add a circle expanding from the centre of the Plectrum to symbolise our products and services that revolve around it. A new unified story – a rich offer built around a common core, our world of work.

Besides a new corporate font (New Work Sans) and an updated colour palette, a key element from the new corporate design is the pattern element made of lines representing data - a key foundation of our products that make use of data to enable companies and individuals to find better professional matches. All of these changes also gave us an opportunity to redesign all touch-points, digital and physical, from websites and social media, to printed documents and signage, across all of our offices.

---

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2Fa8v2DUlq7c5KE1paCYu2%2Feae8193b-5039-4030-8d04-8919e8750f9b.jpg?alt=media&token=c6c193fc-9266-4eac-8838-fb7dd05f7aae","id":"eae8193b-5039-4030-8d04-8919e8750f9b","width":1800,"height":1080,"filename":"NWSE-Rebranding-6.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2Fnew-work-group%2F1573c2ba-e138-4d1b-a1ee-fc719039bee8.jpg?alt=media&token=a9a0351e-8f69-4cd9-b3be-9e1857c2e931","id":"1573c2ba-e138-4d1b-a1ee-fc719039bee8","width":1800,"height":1080,"filename":"NWSE-Rebranding-10.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2Fnew-work-group%2Fcb36dadb-fc9f-4761-a0e1-35d2953ee93d.jpg?alt=media&token=4d54309b-1562-4486-a46a-91af5e3e7bbf","id":"cb36dadb-fc9f-4761-a0e1-35d2953ee93d","width":1800,"height":1080,"filename":"NWSE-Rebranding-7.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2Fnew-work-group%2Fef280f32-bbfb-46e9-adb1-63770ad27c72.jpg?alt=media&token=71b97104-556b-4dee-91d8-30c09519e5a0","id":"ef280f32-bbfb-46e9-adb1-63770ad27c72","width":1800,"height":1080,"filename":"NWSE-Rebranding-3.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2Fnew-work-group%2Fae234466-9593-4c77-81d4-32304661db3c.jpg?alt=media&token=10851540-fa45-4fe4-934f-a05756690c91","id":"ae234466-9593-4c77-81d4-32304661db3c","width":1800,"height":1080,"filename":"NWSE-Rebranding-1.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2Fnew-work-group%2F952c55b2-6e40-44ee-ba16-4ef4658fca01.jpg?alt=media&token=7604ec0c-843d-4e8f-a360-44b6577f782c","id":"952c55b2-6e40-44ee-ba16-4ef4658fca01","width":1800,"height":1080,"filename":"NWSE-Rebranding.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2Fnew-work-group%2Fc45f17d4-d63b-40c1-a813-4d007806602d.jpg?alt=media&token=e8a45cd6-3b9c-4fb8-b90b-dfe7abaf60a0","id":"c45f17d4-d63b-40c1-a813-4d007806602d","width":1800,"height":1080,"filename":"NWSE-Rebranding-2.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2Fnew-work-group%2Fda6ab1d2-4c8a-4c71-b75f-1eaefade7fc5.jpg?alt=media&token=3b870dd0-5132-470a-b27a-8165b0ee347e","id":"da6ab1d2-4c8a-4c71-b75f-1eaefade7fc5","width":1800,"height":1080,"filename":"NWSE-Rebranding-8.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2Fnew-work-group%2F8683f43e-79aa-4e3c-8de5-2790d0e6c683.jpg?alt=media&token=05e5cc08-e081-45f0-8990-28bf7c9ae5b0","id":"8683f43e-79aa-4e3c-8de5-2790d0e6c683","width":1800,"height":1080,"filename":"NWSE-Rebranding-4.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2Fnew-work-group%2Fdb43ab37-2d62-4865-8551-289c8190c40d.jpg?alt=media&token=4f79c34c-8c13-4784-9e67-e14e7a522370","id":"db43ab37-2d62-4865-8551-289c8190c40d","width":1800,"height":1080,"filename":"NWSE-Rebranding-11.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

---

### Outcome

This rebranding project has been a recent personal highlight. With a small team of two, we managed to pull this project off. We aligned with several stakeholders, obtained management approval, and efficiently oversaw various teams, streams, and offices across different mediums including print, digital, signage. The project received overwhelmingly positive feedback internally and was also positively covered by prominent German specialized press such as Page Online and Designtagesbuch.

Work that matters

### In 2021, all of the New Work SE teams based in Hamburg were to be relocated from various offices to a single new office located in the Hamburg "Hafen City". I was asked to join the project team in order to help define the branding of the new office.

**Role:** Strategy, Art & Design Direction

---

### Approach

Initially, our project stream was tasked with incorporating harbour-inspired elements as well as elements from our master brand's visual identity into the design of our office, the New Work Harbour. But, in early 2021, the pandemic was forcing everyone to work from home and get used to it. We believed that it was now more important than ever to inspire enthusiasm about the new office among employees across all of our branches. Simply emphasising harbour motifs and our visual identity would not be enough. This required a real contribution to improve their work-life.

With that ambition in mind, we set ourselves to involve and understand our employees as well as experts on the topic transformation of work and workplaces. Our research included analysing published press and studies, as well as 15 in-depth interviews with employees, 5 interviews with experts, and an extensive internal survey that received 419 replies from our employees.

This helped us understand that people are seeking a working environment that is harmonious, inspiring, and flexible, a place where they feel alive, independent, and motivated to create. The core idea of flexibility, combined with the idea of the office as a brand experience (rather than just colours and visuals) became the conceptual idea for the project – the new office needed to reflect our brand not in the way it looks, but mostly in the way it feels.

---

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2Fnew-work-harbour%2Fac5670d8-d150-42d2-a2e4-827b2c207863.jpg?alt=media&token=8996ae6d-1eda-420d-b9da-f1ff5aaac0a7","id":"ac5670d8-d150-42d2-a2e4-827b2c207863","width":1800,"height":1080,"filename":"NWH-framework2.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2Fnew-work-harbour%2Fc2a861fa-33d2-4602-9a6f-a066b5b82fa1.jpg?alt=media&token=13916996-5bd1-422f-8b24-eca369c0b3f7","id":"c2a861fa-33d2-4602-9a6f-a066b5b82fa1","width":1800,"height":1080,"filename":"NWH-framework.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

**From Brand Values to Experience Principles:** After conducting research and settling on a key insight, our first step was to develop a strategic framework that answers the question: if New Work SE were an office, how would it feel? We defined 5 experience principles based on what our 5 brand values would mean in the context of an office, and assigned to them distinct areas, with distinct use-cases. This framework acted as a foundation to the following exploration.

---

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2Fnew-work-harbour%2F0bd6eb95-e1f6-4240-af50-653f8b93a5f4.jpg?alt=media&token=28ff0c32-406b-4cda-9969-11d23bb646b0","id":"0bd6eb95-e1f6-4240-af50-653f8b93a5f4","width":1800,"height":1080,"filename":"NWH-signage.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2Fnew-work-harbour%2Fde03fbc3-cbf0-49d1-8584-f03a513c3637.jpg?alt=media&token=a79218cc-a960-4e2c-8a19-172b39a36410","id":"de03fbc3-cbf0-49d1-8584-f03a513c3637","width":1800,"height":1080,"filename":"NWH-signage2.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2Fnew-work-harbour%2Fd94e80f1-873c-4506-a3ab-723ae8bf6dab.jpg?alt=media&token=d8f7052f-e3a0-47c4-8175-b1fc0a4de42d","id":"d94e80f1-873c-4506-a3ab-723ae8bf6dab","width":1800,"height":1080,"filename":"NWH-signage3.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

**Signage:** The name "Harbour" in New Work Harbour comes from our office's location near the river. And even though our business is not related to harbour activities, we wanted to incorporate some sort of maritime inspiration in the form of subtle references. We did so by referring to the shape and texture of containers in our signage system, and by using colour and gigantic ocean textures to identity the different areas of the office.

---

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2Fnew-work-harbour%2Fbffcdb12-b34a-41c2-b519-70bf1d619911.mp4?alt=media&token=dab189eb-27e4-4922-a61e-be59f2243ce8","id":"bffcdb12-b34a-41c2-b519-70bf1d619911","width":1920,"height":1152,"filename":"nwh10seclow_res_2_1.mp4","type":"video/mp4","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2Fnew-work-harbour%2Fd136a0ad-5a94-4bf7-94ef-9a6f05e7fef0.jpg?alt=media&token=e18d3e20-2c4a-4368-9a1e-ad5f89563123","id":"d136a0ad-5a94-4bf7-94ef-9a6f05e7fef0","width":1800,"height":1080,"filename":"NWH-final.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2Fnew-work-harbour%2F0ff858c7-3d14-4dfc-a178-b11797ce9db6.jpg?alt=media&token=71a383cd-f521-4bd8-8183-e184c10c350e","id":"0ff858c7-3d14-4dfc-a178-b11797ce9db6","width":1800,"height":1080,"filename":"NWH-final2.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FbtHfilaDyUaHu7ok2JZMUtXpskw1%2Fnew-work-harbour%2F471a7e85-1532-4c0f-9241-984d2db9d6cf.jpg?alt=media&token=8b450e5c-a4e5-4cfc-99c5-4dc19b6bdf9a","id":"471a7e85-1532-4c0f-9241-984d2db9d6cf","width":1800,"height":1080,"filename":"NWH-final3.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

**A reflection of New Work:** Although the new office has normal areas furnished with regular working stations, it also offers employees the needed freedom to work how they work best. Whether they prefer to work independently, collaborate with others, listen to music, or work in silence, the office adapts to them, even for an after work beer at the office pub.

---

### **Outcome**

From the [Page](https://page-online.de/branche-karriere/new-work-offices-das-vielseitige-headquarter-von-new-work-se/), to [Office Inspiration](https://www.officeinspiration.com/en/inspiration/new-work-se/), the new office design was extensively covered by media (20 online articles, 6 printed articles, 2 times on TV), with some stating that it might just be the "office of the future". Also, in addition to the internal buzz, externally there was a lot of interest in experiencing the office, so since the opening we have been conducting weekly tours of the office for companies interested.