Comments on: What if: Sydenham http://www.davidairey.com/what-if-sydenham/ David is a graphic designer passionate about brand identity. Here's his portfolio and a wonderful community of 100K+ designers subscribed to his blog. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:53:09 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: lee newham http://www.davidairey.com/what-if-sydenham/comment-page-1/#comment-136416 lee newham Wed, 24 Nov 2010 15:16:08 +0000 http://www.davidairey.com/?p=1056#comment-136416 I'm really pleased this has had so many positive comments. There are some more What if's on the way. now we have one under our belt we are getting local businesses fare more exited about design. I’m really pleased this has had so many positive comments. There are some more What if’s on the way. now we have one under our belt we are getting local businesses fare more exited about design.

]]> By: Dennis http://www.davidairey.com/what-if-sydenham/comment-page-1/#comment-136402 Dennis Tue, 23 Nov 2010 23:27:47 +0000 http://www.davidairey.com/?p=1056#comment-136402 This is a great idea! It makes for some thoughtful self-promo work but also gets others thinking about urban improvement. Design is overlooked so easy for the sake of getting something done quickly. This is a great idea! It makes for some thoughtful self-promo work but also gets others thinking about urban improvement. Design is overlooked so easy for the sake of getting something done quickly.

]]> By: Todd Palmer http://www.davidairey.com/what-if-sydenham/comment-page-1/#comment-132327 Todd Palmer Fri, 27 Aug 2010 22:56:17 +0000 http://www.davidairey.com/?p=1056#comment-132327 The only debate about producing spec work to get paid work is whether or not you have the time. When we campaign for new business we have two criteria- show value to the client and demonstrate our creativity and difference. The above idea does both and, although nothing is a guarantee for work, these potential clients had to be impressed. In a small town where referrals are everything, that has value too. The caveat it that the design standard has to be tight like these examples. If you don't go in with a strong standard and original, effective identity treatments this idea won't work any more than anything else. The only debate about producing spec work to get paid work is whether or not you have the time. When we campaign for new business we have two criteria- show value to the client and demonstrate our creativity and difference. The above idea does both and, although nothing is a guarantee for work, these potential clients had to be impressed. In a small town where referrals are everything, that has value too.

The caveat it that the design standard has to be tight like these examples. If you don’t go in with a strong standard and original, effective identity treatments this idea won’t work any more than anything else.

]]> By: Caroline Murphy http://www.davidairey.com/what-if-sydenham/comment-page-1/#comment-132020 Caroline Murphy Tue, 24 Aug 2010 12:12:17 +0000 http://www.davidairey.com/?p=1056#comment-132020 Amazing idea, how inspiring. Plenty of them up north, I might give it a go when I get some free time :D Amazing idea, how inspiring.

Plenty of them up north, I might give it a go when I get some free time :D

]]> By: Amanda Vlahakis http://www.davidairey.com/what-if-sydenham/comment-page-1/#comment-131905 Amanda Vlahakis Sun, 22 Aug 2010 15:48:44 +0000 http://www.davidairey.com/?p=1056#comment-131905 Of course I'm not shocked by how much of a difference design makes, but goodness, I can't believe people actually listened to you! :) You must be stoked about that! I must totally agree with Tobias in that when it comes to clients, I also take the same approach that there is no point trying to paint lipstick on a pig. If they are coming to me for marketing collateral, but their brand identity isn't up to scratch, I talk about that for sure. It's for their own good to at least hear it. Whether they want to ignore me or not is another matter (they usually don't). Of course I’m not shocked by how much of a difference design makes, but goodness, I can’t believe people actually listened to you! :)

You must be stoked about that!

I must totally agree with Tobias in that when it comes to clients, I also take the same approach that there is no point trying to paint lipstick on a pig.

If they are coming to me for marketing collateral, but their brand identity isn’t up to scratch, I talk about that for sure. It’s for their own good to at least hear it. Whether they want to ignore me or not is another matter (they usually don’t).

]]> By: Scott Thomas http://www.davidairey.com/what-if-sydenham/comment-page-1/#comment-131407 Scott Thomas Mon, 02 Aug 2010 14:39:17 +0000 http://www.davidairey.com/?p=1056#comment-131407 Great idea and article David. I'm definitely going to create a visual for the vacant cinema and accompanying shops for my local town of Tunbridge Wells. The locals have been waiting for years for the council to redevelop the cinema building and now we're waiting for a buyer to come forward (the site is up for sale for £8 million!) Kind regards, Designmatic Great idea and article David. I’m definitely going to create a visual for the vacant cinema and accompanying shops for my local town of Tunbridge Wells.

The locals have been waiting for years for the council to redevelop the cinema building and now we’re waiting for a buyer to come forward (the site is up for sale for £8 million!)

Kind regards,
Designmatic

]]> By: Gareth Coxon http://www.davidairey.com/what-if-sydenham/comment-page-1/#comment-131360 Gareth Coxon Sun, 01 Aug 2010 10:10:43 +0000 http://www.davidairey.com/?p=1056#comment-131360 What a fantastic idea, a kind of 'build it and they will come' showing the potential of forgotten high streets. Like it. What a fantastic idea, a kind of ‘build it and they will come’ showing the potential of forgotten high streets. Like it.

]]> By: Lee Newham http://www.davidairey.com/what-if-sydenham/comment-page-1/#comment-131310 Lee Newham Thu, 29 Jul 2010 15:49:59 +0000 http://www.davidairey.com/?p=1056#comment-131310 I agree with you Giuseppe. This started as a project to improve the high street and raise the subject of design as an issue. It wasn't meant to get new work. It has led to a lot of good will and discussion and a move towards getting a better, more attractive shopping district (and the park improvements). I find clients don't care about you if you give them work for free, if they aren't able to pay for the work, then they simply don't care abut design and will probably be a rubbish client. I don't believe in free pitching. I remember travelling up to Harris brushes 3 times for meetings before they asked us to free pitch. We said no. The guy Isaw got quite angry because we wouldn't do work for free. But I don't paint the walls with his brushes to see if they are any good before I paint the ceiling. There should always be a payback for the work you do. In the case of the what if Project it was improving my local environment. We had two stabbings, one fatal near where I live recently. It's not a bad area, it's just one of those things. I saw one of the young brothers of the murdered teenager in the park yesterday, near the spot where is Brother passed away enjoying using the new gym equipment we managed to get installed. That was worth more than any client fee. I agree with you Giuseppe. This started as a project to improve the high street and raise the subject of design as an issue. It wasn’t meant to get new work. It has led to a lot of good will and discussion and a move towards getting a better, more attractive shopping district (and the park improvements). I find clients don’t care about you if you give them work for free, if they aren’t able to pay for the work, then they simply don’t care abut design and will probably be a rubbish client.

I don’t believe in free pitching. I remember travelling up to Harris brushes 3 times for meetings before they asked us to free pitch. We said no. The guy Isaw got quite angry because we wouldn’t do work for free. But I don’t paint the walls with his brushes to see if they are any good before I paint the ceiling.

There should always be a payback for the work you do. In the case of the what if Project it was improving my local environment. We had two stabbings, one fatal near where I live recently. It’s not a bad area, it’s just one of those things. I saw one of the young brothers of the murdered teenager in the park yesterday, near the spot where is Brother passed away enjoying using the new gym equipment we managed to get installed.

That was worth more than any client fee.

]]> By: Giuseppe Saltarelli http://www.davidairey.com/what-if-sydenham/comment-page-1/#comment-131309 Giuseppe Saltarelli Thu, 29 Jul 2010 15:34:39 +0000 http://www.davidairey.com/?p=1056#comment-131309 Great subject and it's something that I've been contemplating for a while now myself in my little corner of Montreal. I agree with you Lee that the word DESIGN is getting an unfair bad rep but I still believe that for the best interest of our industry and fellow designers we should not be giving out our work for free or for peanuts. If one designer chooses to give it a shot at redesigning a store front without actually having the assignment that is one thing that the designer has a right to do but if he or she decides to present it to a potential client and it is accepted design fees should be discussed and applied. Besides if a client can pay for elaborate renovations, design fees shouldn't be a hurdle. The only time I accept to do free work is when there's an exchange of services or when it's Pro-bono work. Great subject and it’s something that I’ve been contemplating for a while now myself in my little corner of Montreal.
I agree with you Lee that the word DESIGN is getting an unfair bad rep but I still believe that for the best interest of our industry and fellow designers we should not be giving out our work for free or for peanuts.
If one designer chooses to give it a shot at redesigning a store front without actually having the assignment that is one thing that the designer has a right to do but if he or she decides to present it to a potential client and it is accepted design fees should be discussed and applied. Besides if a client can pay for elaborate renovations, design fees shouldn’t be a hurdle.
The only time I accept to do free work is when there’s an exchange of services or when it’s Pro-bono work.

]]> By: christina tarkoff http://www.davidairey.com/what-if-sydenham/comment-page-1/#comment-131292 christina tarkoff Wed, 28 Jul 2010 21:33:06 +0000 http://www.davidairey.com/?p=1056#comment-131292 Your version of picture palace is gorgeous. Your version of picture palace is gorgeous.

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