CoLab was an extremely interesting project to work on. Firstly it was designing something that had to stand out from the Wood corporate brand and secondly it had to feel as if born from it. Another aspect that attracted me to this project was the physical space design. We really wanted to create a space that embodied a playful and open atmosphere, to make a space that is conducive to the creative thought process. The space was intended to be a creative open environment for clients and Wood's engineers to engage with clients in a more unconventional manner. The other function of the space was for STEM events with local schools. Many of these spaces are opening around Woods key offices globally as well as mobile pop up CoLab spaces.
The branding process was what I considered first. We opted for a name that was kind of self-explanatory to the type of space CoLab would become. I decided on form akin to those found in the parent Wood brand. I felt this would offer that visual link needed to still have the brand retain a "woodish" feel.
The space was a much more difficult aspect of the project. I looked seriously at novelty items that make a space feel "creative" but I realized we did not need to go too crazy with that, comfort and space was paramount and a utilitarian nature to the facilities in the space. We decided on spaces for break out sessions and tools and equipment to allow for the flourishing of spontaneous ideas.