A Zurich-based not-for-profit that connects health-care patients with visual art came to Frost* in search of a name and id that captured its essence. The name came first: “Art-tonic” says it all. But how to visualize the precision of those words? Frost divided their binary structure into two simple but evocative images that act on several levels: the capital A is a care-giver holding the ‘hand’ of a smaller plus sign, at once denoting positive value and the universal symbol of care, a red cross.

Ritz-Carlton has made a dramatic return to the Hong Kong skyline: occupying the top 16 floors of the landmark 118-storey International Commerce Center in Kowloon, it is the world’s tallest hotel. Developer Sun Hung-Kai Sun asked Frost* for an identification and an intuitive way-finding system that would reflect both the venerable hotelier’s past and its high-rising aspirations. Lead by Design Director Ray Parslow, Frost* created a jewel-like motif that mirrors the effortless sophistication of the finest luxury brands. The key signage elements were drawn from a ribbon of bronzed metal folded to create form. The approach blends with the contours of the hotel’s textured environment of timbers and natural stones.

http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/HongKong/

Curtin University in Western Australia asked Frost* to present a dynamic identity and a sense of place for its campus. Sounds deceptively simple. The sticky part was adjusting for a building landscape that has evolved since the uni’s commencement in 1966, where traditional brick and concrete buildings sit beside structures of glass and steel. The answer was to shape a flexible system, with each section part of an information hierarchy: building number, the name of the building and the building’s specific function. Each section is scalable to accommodate the variety of information.

Property advertising is typically led by images of the property. When Frost* was asked to develop an advertising campaign for Park Lane, Frasers Property’s second Central Park release, we started thinking green. We went for a walk in the park. Then we put on the kettle and relaxed in a comfy chair. The words and images – "Room to bloom", "Branch out", "Plant yourself" -- invite the viewer to take a sip. They did. From the campaign’s first week in the market, Frasers saw an increase in enquiries and registrations for Park Lane, particularly via the website.

http://www.centralparksydney.com/park-lane/

Due to popular demand… Frost* Strategy makes it official

With more and more clients approaching us for strategic planning and brand strategy, Frost has recruited a new member to the team. Kent Pearson has five year’s strategic planning experience working in a number of leading Australian and New Zealand advertising agencies, including: Belgiovane Williams Mackay, Colenso BBDO, George Patterson Y&R, and Whybin/TBWA. During that time, Kent has amassed a wealth of knowledge, working on such notable brands as: Telstra BigPond, GIO, Diageo, LG, TDK, SumoSalad, Fonterra, Mercedes Benz, NZI, Vodafone, Visa, Caltex, Colgate Palmolive and Campbell's Arnotts. Kent’s arrival formalises the launch of a distinct department, Frost* Strategy, headed by Cat Burgess.

Awards

Katie Bevin from our Environments Team has just picked up an Honour Award for her student work  in the internationally acclaimed 2011 SEGD Design Awards. Katie was flown to Montreal for 5 days to attend the conference and awards ceremony. Katie won from a field of 450 entries, for her time-based, site-specific piece of environmental typography called "Urban Tales Shadow Typography". The jury remarked that “when something touches you and elevates the mundane in such a simple and profound way, it can only be terrific design.”

New projects

We are delighted to announce a major new signage project for the University of Technology Sydney as part of the $1 billion redevelopment of its campus.

Two new keystone buildings; one by Gehry Partners and the other by Denton Corker Marshall, are part of a $1 billion redevelopment at University of Technology Sydney’s City Campus. The scale of change means big changes in how people will navigate the space. Frost’s 3D team has been commissioned to develop a legible urban environment through way-finding and public space branding. “The landscape of education is changing and UTS wants to position itself a world-leading institution,” says Annabel Stevens, Head of Environments at Frost.

Talks

Vince Frost is heading to San Francisco for the Brand New Conference on 16 September – for more details

visit www.underconsideration.com/brandnewconference

Vince will also be speaking at Marketing Week in Adelaide on 24 August for the Australian Marketing Institute. www.marketingweek.com.au