DOMINIQUE CHOUCHANI

AFGANG I VISUAL COMMUNICATION

docho@student.dkds.dk
PROGRAM 05I03I010
1- THE BERLIN VOICE 5
2- DEFINING SNAP 7
3- DESIGN ARCHEOLOGY 9
1- Graphic Reconstructions
2- The Notion of Ephemera: Walter Benjamin & Alfred Döblin
3- Further readings: Naomi Klein & Frederic Beigbeder
4- Artistic Source Of Inspiration

4- BERLIN’S PATTERNS 10
1- Collecting: Looking for Patterns
2- Producing: Interpreting the patterns

5- FILTERING BERLIN 11
6- BERLIN GMT+1 11
7- BIBLIOGRAPHY & OTHER REFRENCES 13
8- VISUAL INSPIRATION
 1- THE BERLIN VOICE
THE BERLIN VOICE

1- P1: Topic and background: relevance and motivation

As designers, we are at a crossroad, faced with the challenge to balance opposing notions in
order to create designs that are truly relevant and representative of our contemporary societies.
Design is a powerful tool and is a testimony to the benefits of cultural exchange, and plays an
essential role in visually representing a culture’s identity.

Being half Danish and half Lebanese, I was always exposed to both cultures and with time, I was
gaining awareness of their similarities and differences.
In constant eager to explore new ways of communication, I decided to base my master project
in a foreign city Berlin, Germany.
I have visited the city twice, for a short period and have formed my own opinions about its visual
culture. I see Berlin as a unique place graphically and would love to extend my research and ask
Berliners from a variety of backgrounds [interior designers, graphic designers, visual performers
&music producers] how they see the city and what they think of its creative hub.
I am hoping that the research will provide me with an interesting perspective on why the city
pulse with a unique graphic identity and a multicultural vibe.
The city itself has a character unlike any other I have seen in Beirut or Copenhagen; Beirut is a
beautiful chaos compared to Copenhagen, meticulous and organized.

Having the opportunity to be a complete outsider in a city that I am not familiar with, I am hop-
ing to build a new visual culture in a way that will expand my graphic library as a designer.

In one of my previous projects in the Danish Design School, I tried to redefine Design as a visual
blend of two cultures. Blanda was the fruit of this fusion, where I redefined my graphic identity
by marrying East and West. I concluded my project by analyzing Banda as a vector of communi-
cation between a sender and a receiver, understanding and sharing the same code or language.

I thought I would grab this opportunity to extend my initial idea and create an experimental
graphic laboratory in a foreign city, where I do not understand the native language.

By extracting graphic elements that characterizes Berlin, I am hoping to create a sort of visual
library that would expand my communicative skills. I am eager to understand the graphic nature
of the city, hoping that it will constitute new meaning to me as a designer.

My topic still being broad to define my final “product”, I am looking forward to be on “the
field” from the 1rst of March, for a period of three consecutive months. I would like to extend
my research to understand the context of Berlin’s hybrid culture.

5
 2- DEFINING SNAP
7
P2: Problem formulation

In the modern world, information fills our daily life; we are constantly surrounded by a multitude
DEFINING SNAP

of advertisements in all its forms. Being part of a new city, I would capture information, record it
and reinterpret it. This whole process seems to offer me an opportunity to extract cultural mate-
rial and establish the city’s identity through my personal interpretations.
It would be interesting to define a society through personal “snapshots” that examines identity,
language and cultural patterns.
The aim of this project is to take outsiders on a visual journey to understand Berlin, a multicul-
tural city through its visual elements.

What would Berlin look like when it is extracted from its material culture?
By collecting artifacts & building personas, can I establish a new form of understanding & analyzing a city?
How can I create a reflection back to the “design industry” to inform and inspire?
3- DESIGN ARCHEOLOGY
P3: Theoretical and empirical description of the problem

During my research phase, I look for previous methods by which cultural material could be ana-
lyzed to reveal a city’s behavior, culture and patterns.

1- Graphic Reconstructions

Amy Sheppard, Design Director of Johnson and Johnson Global Strategic, conducts in 2008 a
project entitled “ Graphic reconstructions of Kreuzberg, Berlin”. She develops a graphic identity,
collecting ephemera (receipts, tickets, posters and flyers) from the streets of Kreuzberg, Berlin
over a three-week period.
The project examines the language of transactions and advertising and its impact on community
identity. She introduces the term Design Archeology, where she combines communication de-
sign with archeological methods for evaluating material culture to produce new forms of graphic
identity.

Amy Sheppard’s approach on using ephemera to study a community is a great source of inspira-
tion. It coincides with the nature of my project to create snapshots of Berlin from its material
culture.
2- The Notion of Ephemera: Walter Benjamin & Alfred Döblin
Amy Sheppard defines Ephemera as written and printed matter published with a short-intended
lifetime. It is the class of published single-sheet or single page documents that are meant to be
thrown away after one use.
Common Types of Ephemera are postcards, event-oriented posters, transportation and show
tickets, baggage stickers, stock certificates, motor vehicle licensing forms, business cards, print-
ed wedding invitations, trade cards, and other similar printed materials.
DESIGN ARCHEOLOGY
The concept of extracting visual elements of the city is not new.
Alfred Döblin (1929), in his novel Berlin “Alexanderplatz” uses ephemera from the city as a
method for telling the story. He incorporates brand-specific jingles and slogans from Berlin that
capture the essence of its street life. These random phrases appear throughout the novel, and
they are used as a way of conveying how much the city and its messages find their way into the
minds of its inhabitants.
Walter Benjamin (1999) uses ephemera as an organizing principle in his work, The Arcades Proj-
ect, in which he creates a cultural history of 19th century Paris, building a biography of the city.
He believes one can use individual moments to draw a larger view of the total event and tell a
great story by what people have forgotten or discarded.
I am looking forward to read the two novels in depth and study the mutual interaction between
cities and their habitants. Peter Jelavich (2007) states that “Alexanderplatz” is the perfect me-
dium to describe the fact that consciousness is not something stable in the mind, that there’s
things going around us every day as we walk down the street or turn on the radio.
3- Further readings: Naomi Klein & Frederic Beigbeder
Benjamin and Döblin novels are perfect mediums that explore how we are continuously affected by
the “outside world” in diverse forms.
I will be conducting further readings regarding Naomi Klein’s book “No Logo” and “99 Francs “from
Frédéric Beigbeder; two novels that highlight the dominance of the corporate world.
It is a challenge to be out in the streets of Berlin and analyze the city in a subjective point of view,
taking in consideration that I would be perpetually affected by my surroundings.
4- Artistic Source Of Inspiration
As for my artistic sources of inspiration, I will be visualizing them in a separate section to set up a
basic direction for my visual approach; I selected a limited number of inspirational projects and high-
lighted key words to underline the inspiration found.
Moreover, I have been collecting material produced my Berliner graphic studios, agencies and festi-
vals; as it is important to study the mutual exchange between the various artistic disciplines and their
importance in defining an overall visual culture.
I find myself attracted to photographs taken by Noboyushi Araki in “ L’essentiel du quotidien”, Ste-
phen Shore’s “American Surfaces” and Stanley Kubrick’s “Drama and Shadows”.
All three books, published by Phaidon, reflect the importance to explore a country though the eyes
of an everyday tourist; where encountered people and objects remain the centre focus of attention.
9
4- BERLIN’S PATTERNS
P.4: Method
1- Collecting: Looking for Patterns
The collection of artifacts will take place during my stay in Berlin from the 1rst of March.
I will be spending time in different districts of the city. I will be collecting various visual materials
ranging from my train ticket to Berlin, receipts, postcards, posters, flyers to photographs and
High Definition footage.
I will be collecting artifacts aiming a selective collection and studying personas by interviewing
Berliners from different backgrounds; I am hoping to study a restricted number of people and
create a personal interpretation of how they see the city and its vibe.
After collecting the artifacts, I will scan and organize them into several categories such as re-
ceipts, shops, events and entertainment.
I will study the visual language of the content in its form, shape, and color.
At this stage, I would create a complete interpretation that reflects my entire research through
visual snapshots; it would be challenging to use Amy Sheppard’s method and produce “a book”
with my personal series of investigations based on my collected library.
This method will provide me with a “visual framework” from which I could build a new way for
my visual identity.
2- Producing: Interpreting the patterns
“What would Berlin look like when it is extracted from its material culture?”
I am hoping to find a personalized theme where I can reflect graphically my visual experience
in Berlin. I am not certain at this early stage what type of print material I will develop [book, a
magazine, posters, postcards, CD packaging etc.]
I am studying to create print material that would be translated into video footage. I will be lead-
ing more research at this point and online tutorials on advanced programs.
5- FILTERING BERLIN
P.5: Expected results: thesis, form of submission and extent
I am looking forward to be part of a new experience, where as a designer I will observe, record
and filter all kind of patterns that identify the city.
I think the overall approach would provide me with a new method of analyzing a city as a whole
brand. I am hoping to learn new forms of communication by adapting Amy Sheppard’s theory.
Her methodology introduces a design research titled Design Archeology; where she combines
communication design with archaeological methods for evaluating material culture to produce
new forms of graphic identity.
After collecting information and evaluating it, I would be able to define the city through a per-
sonal interpretation; I would include the city’s appearance, people’s experiences, what the city
stands for and what kind of people inhabit it.
It would be challenging to define Berlin’s distinctive characteristics and enable the city’s “brand”.
Branding a city, like commercial products, would be an interesting conclusion for my work.
6- BERLIN GMT+1
P.6: Work plan and time schedule
After collecting and looking for patterns, I am hoping that during the first 2 to 3 weeks, I would
BERLIN’S PATTERNS
assemble as much information needed to proceed.
FILTERING BERLIN
I will be using Amy Sheppard’s method and produce “a book” with my personal series of inves-
tigations based on my collected library.
BERLIN GMT+1
After a month and a half of preparations, the research phase will be more specific; at this stage
I will be studying on a defined subject that will conclude to my final product.
For now, it makes it difficult to set a complete time frame; I am waiting to move to the city and
study it in depth.
11
 13
7- BIBLIOGRAPHY & OTHER REFERENCES
P.7 Bibliography and other references

Benjamin, W. (1999). The Arcades Project. Cambridge: Belknap Press.

Döblin, A. (1929). Alexanderplatz Berlin, The story of Franz Biberkopf. New York:
Viking Press.
Frye, Ben (2004). Computational Information Design. Retrieved Feb 10, 2007
from
http://www.heyotwell.com/heyblog/archives/2005/11/ben_fry_phd_dis.html
Hartman, E. (2006, August). The God of Small Things, Nylon, 111 -112.
History World International. (2006). Retrieved from http://historyworld.
org/archeology.htm.
Jelavich, P. (2005). The Berlin Stories. Retrieved March 28, 2007 from
http://www.citypaper.com/arts/story.asp?id=11557.
Laurel, B. (2003). Design Research: Methods and Perspectives. Cambridge: MIT
Press.
Lind, M. (2002) All Inside. Kunstverein München Drucksache. Retrieved March
15, 2007 from http://www.careyyoung.com/essays/lind.html.
Miller, D. (1997). Material Cultures: Why Some Things Matter. London: UCL Press.
Neumeier, M. (2003). The Brand Gap. Berkeley, New Riders Press. pp 136
Undisciplined! Proceedings of the Design Research Society Conference 2008. Sheffield, UK. July
BIBLIOGRAPHY & OTHER REFERENCES

2008
050/18
Noble, I. & Bestley, R. (2005). Visual Research: An Introduction to Research
Methodologies in Graphic. Lausanne, Switzerland: AVA Publishing.
Rathje, W. (2005). The Garbage Project & “The Archeology of the US”.
Retrieved November 6, 2006 from
http://traumwerk.stanford.edu:3455/symmetry/174.
Sterling, B. (2005). Shaping Things (1st ed.). Cambridge: MIT Press.
15
8-VISUAL INSPIRATION
DESIGN Muiz Anwar
PROJECT IML
CATEGORY Editorial Design & Arabic Type
DATE 2008

PROJECT DESCRIPTION
These are editorial proposals for the second issue of
ILM [Intellectual Lifestyle Magazine].The main focus
of this proposal was to showcase a new Arabic, dis-
play typeface that the designer had developed.
The project shows colors, typography, photographic
treatments and graphic elements developed for the
new magazine. Abstract typographic fragments
are used to illustrate the new approach. A series of
large folded posters was also produced, again using
typographic fragments to show off the palette of
new arabic fonts.
•photographic treatments, folded posters,new approach, abstract typo, color palette •
DESIGN Research studios
PROJECT Exberliner
CATEGORY Invite,flyer & Magazine cover
DATE 2005

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Reasearch studios designed various covers, as well

as contributing ideas to inside layouts, for Exber-
liner, the English-language Berlin newspaper.
Shown here (left) new form of type from a series
of overlapping diagonal lines and (up) a design
concept that features morphed letterforms devel-
oped from transparent layers that build up to cre-
ate dense forms similar to the gradients shown on
contour maps of mountainous regions.

•overlap, lines,morphed, dense forms, contour maps, regions •

DESIGN Bunch
PROJECT MurMur Records
CATEGORY CD & Vinyl Packaging
DATE 2008

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Logo, sleeves and ads for the new record label.

DESIGN Bunch
PROJECT 55DSL Christmas
CATEGORY Posters & Installations
DATE 2007

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Playful applications for the 55DSL 2007 Christmas

instore incentive. Tape and posters were designed
and sent to each store where the staff were then
encouraged to get creative with what they taped up
to win 555 GBP worth of prizes.

•overlap, lines,morphed, dense forms, contour maps, regions •

DESIGN Oded Ezer
PROJECT TypoArt
CATEGORY Sculptures & Posters
DATE 2006

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The designer uses both roman and Hebrew letterforms

to create complex biomorphic specimens.By modelling
creatures that are half-insect and half-letterform,he ex-
plores the graphic extremes of legibility.
As well as creating more conventional Hebrew typefac-
es, the designer experiments the ways in which charac-
ters can be formed from folded paper and various geo-
metric shapes.
•letterforms, graphic extremes,characters, geometric shapes •
DESIGN Oded Ezer
PROJECT TypoArt •letterforms, graphic extremes,characters, geometric shapes •
CATEGORY Sculptures & Posters
DATE 2006
DESIGN Laurenz Brunner
PROJECT Gerrit Rietveld Academie
CATEGORY Poster series
DATE 2005

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

This series of posters for the graduation classes from

the Gerrit Rietveld Academie in Holland illustrates
the extraordinary international mix of students at
the college,32 countries, 21 different languages.
Each poster features text in Dutch plus at least one
other language spoken at the college, with each
language screen printed in a different color.
Some of the posters were overprinted with several
different languages creating a very dense noise of
language, color and type. The names of all the stu-
dents are listed at the foot of the poster, with each
one highlighted in the color corresponding to his or
her country of origin.
Dutch in orange, Arabic in pink etc.

• language, overprint, dense, noise, color, type, highlight, origin •