Hidden gems
& great design.
We are on a mission to discover and create 'hidden gems'. So what is a hidden gem? If you have an iPhone, open the calculator, turn the iPhone from portrait to landscape and ‘hey presto’ it turns from a regular calculator to a scientific one – that's a hidden gem.Life is full of them, sometimes we don’t even notice them because it’s design working really well. A hidden gem can bring surprise and delight to an experience or build a narrative about what’s around you.
Here’s another one, King Henry's Mound in Richmond Park. We have been cycling and walking round here for years but never found this little hidden gem. King Henry's Mound is the highest point within the park and can be found near Pembroke Lodge. From the Mound there is a protected view of St Paul's Cathedral in the City of London, over 10 miles. It’s an amazing view through a telescope, it's a great hidden gem.
Stories and legends are full of hidden gems but why not include them in life today? We have recently been working with the design principle at Skype and together created a set of brand environment graphics throughout their building that are full of hidden Skype emoticons. Some you’ll find easily and some are very cheeky in hidden places. The response from the Skype workforce has been really positive as they keep spotting new emoticons on their journeys around their new offices.
Brand environments, whether office, retail, exhibition, inside or out can be so much more engaging with a few hidden gems. So get your thinking caps on and be creative about the stories and experiences you can create at home, work or play.
