Parsons re:D |

As part of Parsons’ brand redesign, we had the opportunity to reimagine their annual alumni magazine, Regarding Design. Given its wide reach in the art and design world, this was a chance to make a meaningful impact. Working closely with the Editor in Chief, we introduced a refreshed visual system—new photography, updated typography, and a bold page size designed to stand out in a stack of mail. The 2015 issue led with Michelle Obama, spotlighted Marc Jacobs’ take on design, and showcased Paula Scher’s new identity for the university.

The redesign helped set a new editorial direction for Re:D, shaping its tone and visual identity, and became a template for future issues.

The concept behind the cover was to create three dimensional elements of the magazine redesign and, working with the delightful Martin Seck, we wanted to do the whole cover “in camera”. I laser cut and printed all of the component pieces and then built it while we adjusted the lighting and documented the process. In the end, other than adding the masthead, the final photo was used as is without need of any photo retouching.

Magazine spread with lots of small images

Image of Michelle Obama in front of student fashion designs

Spread from ReD Magazine showing a typographic wall from the Parsons school — Throughout the magazine, silhouetted photographs broke their frames and type came to the edge of the page to create dynamic layouts and reference the boundary-breaking practices of the school.

Cover of ReD Magazine showing a stack of various materials from around Parsons

For the 2016 issue’s theme of materials, the cover reflects a “core sample” of all the materials that going into making at Parsons. I scoured the university for discarded and recycled materials to create the strata that represents the school from traditional making practices to modern ideas of digital tools and sustainable use.

Spread from ReD Magazine showing small photos of Frank Gehry and various students

Spread from ReD Magazine with different materials arranged in a decorative pattern

Magazine spread showing two women and a collection of small material samples

Magazine spread featuring images from the maker lab — Like the cover, many of the feature-opener spreads were made by collecting sustainable materials from around the university and photographing the final compositions. These assemblages gave the whole issue a tactile quality and kept the central theme of the issue front and center in readers’ minds.