Students in the Visual Communication Design program at the University of Alberta often get the opportunity to tackle real world challenges in class.
Recently, one such opportunity came from the Canadian VIGOUR Centre (CVC), a U of A Academic Research Organization focused on cardiovascular health. When the CVC found itself in need of an update to its visual identity, Associate Professor Susan Colberg saw it as a perfect fit for her design students.
“Working with units, groups, or organizations on Campus provides rich and challenging ‘real world’ learning opportunities for the students that involve designing for complex communication needs,” said Colberg. “The working relationships that are established during design and consultation processes often grow into longer term working relationships or collaborations after students graduate from the BDes program in Visual Communication Design.”
Once the class had submitted their design proposals, the CVC eventually settled on one from student Trevor Lau. The CVC soon adopted his logo for their organization, which is now fully incorporated into their brand identity.
Curious Arts spoke to Trevor about his experience working on the CVC logo:
CURIOUS ARTS: Can you tell us about the process of creating the CVC logo and how your design came to be chosen?
TREVOR LAU: When creating the logo itself, I went about researching into what the CVC wanted. I did this by analyzing other cardiovascular companies’ visual identities.
After getting a gist of what exactly I was creating, and considering the information of what the client wanted, I went about sketching. After sketching many logos, I went about narrowing down which logos would best suit the needs of the CVC. I went about submitting two logos to the client, and fortunately one of my designs was selected.
CA: What will you take away from your experience working with the CVC?
TL: After working with the CVC, I have gained experience with a client whose visual identity relates to medicine. It has allowed me to change my train of thought and design a more corporate aesthetic.
It has also has provided me with satisfaction as it benefits both myself and the U of A department of design. I hope the design department receives more recognition and clients from our work so that future students can benefit like I have.
CA: Are you graduating in 2017? If so, where do you aspire to take your design career?
TL: I am graduating in the year 2018. What I aspire to do encompasses working with digital interfaces. I would also like to find work related to visual effects.
Professor Colberg offers this advice to students as they embark on their post-university design careers:
“Use your design ‘powers’ for good,” she says. “Seek out meaningful projects that you enjoy and do work that really helps people. Establish relationships of trust with your clients and coworkers. Collaborate. Ask lots of questions. Enjoy the process. Make the world a better place through sensitive, well-considered, well-researched and useful design actions.”
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