Melbourne Design Week
Im-Permanent
Amplifying circularity through a large-scale creative activation. It is time to epitomise impact.
Role
Creative Direction
Creative Concept
Exhibition Curation
PR and Marketing
For the past several years, the circular economy (CE) has been at the forefront of the sustainability discussion. In a circular economy, products are reimagined, and diverted back into the supply chain, instead of contributing to landfill. As the climate crisis escalates, embracing circular practices is vital.
Ellis Jones, have been at the forefront of this push, through the work we do and the messages we share. In 2022, we realised it was time to do more. We wanted to create a large-scale creative activation that raised awareness of how the circular economy can address our climate challenges. Simultaneously, we were eager to position Ellis Jones as leaders in the CE conversation.
It started as an idea. But within months, this idea became a 9-day exhibition at the Abbotsford Convent, spotlighting more than 20 experiments in mycelium design, premiering at the 2023 Melbourne Design Week.
This idea became the exhibition called IM-PERMANENT. It also resulted in a formidable new partnership with RMIT Industrial Design. IM-PERMANENT was a foray into contemporary explorations in mycelium from emerging Australian practitioners. It embodied the impact of circularity in design and manufacturing by exploring mycelium as a biomaterial.
Mycelium is the perfect metaphor for circularity, as it’s compostable, and low waste to produce and use. If applied across a range of industries, it could help reduce CO2 emissions by replacing fossil fuel-derived plastics, concrete, leather and polystyrene.
Developing a distinct event brand for IM-PERMANENT was key to its reach and success. The name spoke to the duality of both material and exhibition.
We started with the question: ‘how might we grow a logo?’ Informed by a hallmark feature of mycelium: its inclination to proliferate. We developed a 3D typeform, with the letters from IM-PERMANENT manually and organically growing through a 3D simulation. The colour palette was deliberately bright and artificial, representing colours not found in nature, and therefore juxtaposing the earthly, raw aesthetic of mycelium. A counter point to deliver high contrast and visual interest when placing mycelium next to or over the logo.
View the inflatable logotype in AR (requires an iOS device).
Additional Credits
Agency: Ellis Jones
Creative Team: David Constantine,
Sara Burke, Aidan Winter
Photographer: Marie-Luise Skibbe
Related Projects
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