Eid Mubarak to the Middle East!

Also called the Feast of Breaking the Fast, Eid is celebrated by Muslims worldwide to mark the end of Ramadan. Our UAE based designer Dina has blessed us with this e-card - So Happy Eid from all at Assembly!

Apple's new interface – who needs green felt anyway?

Unless you've been living in a cave for the last month or so, you will know that Apple has unveiled it's new mobile operating system, iOS7, complete with shiny new interface, which seeks to keep the iPhone abreast of its main competitors in the market, Microsoft's Windows Phone and Google's Android platform. At first glance iOS7 looks to do away with those old-timey real world imitation design elements of its previous iOS6 interface, such as the faux-wood bookshelves of the Newsstand application and the green felt casino table from Gamecenter. Both these examples are skeuomorphs, objects or features that are 'copying the design of a similar artefact in another material'. In the world of interface design, skeuomorphs can also relate to behaviour and physicality (think of 'turning' the pages of a document in iBooks or the 3D button-like appearance of icons on the homescreen).

Old and new – iOS 6 on the left and iOS 7 on the right

Apple has been widely criticised over its use of skeuomorphism for well over a year, the bombardment gathering momentum and support across the Internet, from techblogs to the graphic design community. So it seems that with this latest announcement Apple have finally given in to the mob, and on the face of it, it seems they may have a point; who needs green felt when all you want to do is beat your highscore on Angry Birds whilst waiting for the train? Nevertheless, there are a few pertinent issues to consider before firmly stomping all over skeuomorphism – and Apple's seemingly firm departure from it.

One way skeuomorphs can be useful in interfaces is that they assist users in working out the function of a particular feature: 'this looks like a button, so I assume that when I press it a feature or function will be activated'; 'this looks like a notepad, so I assume I can use it to write notes'. The importance of this particular aspect of skeuomorphism, especially when relating to interfaces for touchscreens, is that they can assist greatly in introducing inexperienced users to new concepts, ideas and functions. For example, touchscreens. More specifically, the multi-touch type of touchscreens first made widely available in mobile devices by Apple back in 2007, with the launch of the original iPhone. Until then, our experience of mobile phones was characterised by screens that were screens and buttons that were buttons. Suddenly, there's just one button and the screen is now the whole phone; pretty radical to say the least. Within a few years though, almost every phone on the market has this kind of technology and everyone and their mums can use a touchscreen without freaking out and reaching for a 3310. Why? Because, among other reasons, the interface was intuitive enough to allow them to get to grips with this new way of interacting with stuff.

The good old Nokia 3310

Of course today the touchscreen is everywhere, not just in the mobile phone market but in tablets and now laptops too. We don't need to be taught how to use these devices any more, they are part of our everyday lives. They feel familiar, we know where the buttons are. Which is why the Windows 7 interface, launched in late 2010 with the Windows Phone 7, was such a success and single-handedly defined the 'anti-skeuomorph' model that designers and developers have praised and emulated left right and centre. With the Windows Phone Microsoft recognised the familiarity of the touchscreen interface and also realised we wouldn't get confused if all the buttons didn't look quite so button-like, thereby liberating mobile technology from heavy reliance on obviously skeuomorphic design. In the blink of an eye, Apple's on the back foot, Microsoft are on a charge and the world is predicting the iPhone's downfall. Green felt is out, flat colour is in. We have seen the future, and it is paved with flat coloured squares. Now, three years later (perhaps a little tardier than most would've liked), iOS7 is being touted as a Windows imitation, scrapping skeuomorphism altogether in favour of solid colour, gradients and Helvetica Neue.

But not all is as it seems. Skeuomorphism is still very much a part of the interface, in the behaviour of the features as well as what they look like, only this time around it's just that bit more subtle. The translucent, 'frosted glass' effect on the Control Center, for example, creates a sense of dimension and space, and the mysterious parallax effect on the homescreen seeks to give that space a physicality, a natural behaviour. And let's not forget, icons can be skeuomorphs too, from volume control to mailbox to calendar to compass to making a phonecall (crucially, Windows uses many of these skeuomorphs in its icon designs too). It seems with iOS7 Apple hasn't scrapped skeuomorphism at all, only used it more intelligently and in a less invasive manner, in a way that enhances the experience of using an iPhone and (finally) takes iOS to a new level. With a launch this autumn, the sense of anticipation is palpable, but one thing's for certain: although it might not feature a single thread of leather stitching, skeuomorphism is going to be all over it.

(written by Rosi Digne-Malcolm, Junior Designer at Assembly Studios)

Skate King's Cross

Skate King’s Cross, a pop up roller skate rink next to the stunning Granary building that hosts Central Saint Martins School of Arts and Design, was launched yesterday – and the Assembly folks were in the thick of the action again!

The roller disco is located in a former goods shed which was used in the Victorian era to store potatoes, fish and other perishable goods that were brought in by train before distribution across London. 

Up and coming architects Feix & Merlin have set out to resurrect the area’s former legendary roller disco status (Canvas nightclub hosted events there in the past) by designing a rink surrounded by metal trusses with golden chains, re-kindling the old magic of the venue.

 In an interview, David Partridge, director of Argent, mentioned that the rewarding thing about the transformation of King’s Cross was “seeing other people discover the area” – and the audience was indeed a mixed cool crowd!

If you fancy whizzing around on wheels like we did (watch Richard’s elegant moves!), the skate rink will be in place for eight weeks from today on.

Ramadan Kareem!

assemblystudios.com

Wishing you and your loved ones an abundance of blessings, happiness and prosperity.

Ramadan Kareem, from all at Assembly.

مبارك عليكم شهر الصيام والمحبة والعطاء
رمضان كريم من الجميع في أسمبلي

To get in touch with our UAE studio, email uae@assemblystudios.com

Team Sport

Brave volunteers of the Assembly team ventured out this Thursday to take a team challenge and go Karting in the middle of nowhere.

After 1.5 hours of wild racing, the Assembly Racers (Ross, Richard and Luke) made it to to fifth place, while the legendary Slambesy team (pictured below: Charlotte, Calvin and Rosi) missed bronze by a whisker. Rosi was our fastest racer (Chapeau!) and rumor has it that it is almost impossible to overtake her...

Anyway, it's the taking part that counts right? And we had great fun!
If you want to dare the Assembly team with whatever formidable challenge, we would love to hear from you!

How the donkey came about...

Did you see the identity material for Maltby & Greek  we have recently published on our website?

Then you might have asked yourself: Why this donkey, and what does it have to do with Greek food? Read our feature about the identity work we did for Maltby & Greek and you will know more…

Our Head of Design and General Manager of the UAE studio, Jon Digby, was overseeing this project – in a conversation with Yannos Hadjiioannou, founder of Maltby&Greek, he lets us into some secrets…

(Interview conducted by Charlotte Kuechler)

CK: Let’s keep this simple Jon – what is a brand, and what makes it successful?

JD: A brand works by connecting with its audience on an emotional level. A number of factors help make a successful brand - having a good product or proposition; being able to guide its growth from inception; and being honest to its inherent values.

CK: Right, and how do you and your team find out about these values?

JD: Taking the time to listen to the client about what their business is about, having that information helps inform the creative process.

CK: So it all started with a chat, right Yannos?

YH: Indeed – more to the point it was a departure from talking purely about the name and concentrating on the business and the way we envisage building it up.

CK: How did the idea with the donkey originate, was that something Assembly came up with or did you have the idea beforehand Yannos?

YH: It all started as a joke – we talked about few ideas and then we discussed this approximation of the carrot and the stick – don’t ask the context, you have to trust me on this – then the idea of the donkey came up with someone riding and holding a carrot and a stick – we dropped the rider but loved the donkey!

JD: Design shouldn’t be complicated. Maltby & Greek is Greek food with an English twist; the donkey is our ambassador for Greece, but he certainly had to wear an English top hat!

CK: What is the secret message behind the top hat, or, is a rabbit hidden in it?

JD: No secret, it’s just how a gentrified Greek donkey would look.

CK: Did the name Maltby & Greek already exist before you started your journey with Assembly Yannos? If so, is there a story behind it?

YH: Maltby Street is where we started selling our products – we thought long and hard about giving the business a Greek based name but thought that we wanted a name linking our hearts and minds which are all about Greek food and wine and our humble origin from Maltby Street Market – hence we ended up with Maltby & Greek.

JD: We went through the naming process with Yannos - it’s usually the most challenging part of an identity program but can be invaluable to help define the visual concept of a brand and create something unique.

CK: That’s original indeed and it’s lovely that the name conveys your history! So Maltby & Greek is a premium purveyor for food and wine. Yannos, can you tell us a bit more about your products, who are your suppliers?

YH: We work exclusively with small producers of premium food and wine from around Greece. The idea is to bring the very best of Greek products to an international audience – not only the usual olive oil and olives but products such as Avgotaraho (bottarga – grey mullet fish roe), traditionally smoked eel, wild boar sausages, unusual honeys, sweet spoons (!) and many more. On the wines we have concentrated in working with producers who cultivate indigenous Greek grape varieties such as the white Assyrtiko, Malagouzia and Moschofilero grapes and red varieties such as Agiorgitiko, Mavrotragano, Mandilaria and Xinomavro.

CK: That sounds delicious! I’d imagine for such a wide variety of products you needed a lot of distinct material then? What did Assembly create?

YH: Assembly took a pragmatic view of our needs – rather than working out of a script of marketing collateral – kind of “one size fits all” – they visited the market, researched the industry and came up with the type of collateral needed for the purposes of our business. As the donkey furthers his reach, Assembly is working on items such as packaging.

CK: Alright, so we can look forward to seeing more and more exciting material for Maltby & Greek! Well, thank you both very much for your time! And where can we taste some Greek delicacies after this mouth-watering interview?

YH: At the moment you can visit us at Maltby Street every Saturday and find some of our products in places such as the Fat Duck restaurant and Fortnum & Mason. Get in touch with us on Twitter (@MaltbyGreek) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/MaltbyGreek) for seasonal delicacies and tastings or drop us an email – we would love to hear from you!

CK: We’ll see you there! Thank you!

If you have just started your business or have been around for a while – we can help you just like Yannos and his team to find your unique voice.
 
Assembly Studios create all things identity related – from branding and visual language to logos – and much more than that. We are striving for innovative, clever solutions and tools that make your brand stand out from the rest.

Get in touch with charlotte@assemblystudios.co.uk and let our multi-disciplinary team do the rest!

             

Press coverage for our Karaoke Event

Have a read of what The Architects' Journal wrote in their March issue about our MIPIM Karaoke event: