A legion of logos this year have focused on a new way to cut corners, literally. A design that might normally have a single or a series of concentric radiused turns are embracing a look we’ll call Pinched. It’s what can happen when bending a piece of copper tubing. TOO much pressure and the whole thing crimps instead of giving you a graceful curve. But since we’re not actually plumbing, I think these pinched solutions are unexpectedly smart. Look at the consistency of the inside radiused corners. The way the outside has collapsed can create repetitive 45 degree angles that are still radiused where they bend, to maintain an eased effect. Where applied concentrically it creates a series of engaging triangular voids which build positive and negative spatial repetition.
Turning a corner and letting the inside of a bend intrude on an otherwise consistent monoline weight can break the tension of a design. Done once it may appear a mistake. Done too much it becomes affected. Repeated with measured judgment, it becomes an engaging signature. The K in the letterform for the KION wordmark deftly exhibits how type is no stranger here either. The eased sharpness of these corners shows a duality that is technical but approachable and presents a welcome diversion to an otherwise monotonous, mono-weight solution.
DESIGN AGENCY: WILDFIRE CREATIVE STUDIO
CLIENT: KEATING O’GARA LAW
DESIGN AGENCY: ALFONSO RAMOS
CLIENT: UON
DESIGN AGENCY: GOLD LUNCHBOX
CLIENT: KION
DESIGN AGENCY: MATCHSTIC
CLIENT: WEO
