Design Can Change

Design Can Change is a self-directed project undertaken and financed completely by smashLAB. It was born from a frustration with the lack of information available related to sustainability and graphic design. The paper and pulp industry is the world's third largest polluter. According to the AIGA, their members alone specify or purchase $9.1 billion in printing and paper annually. In seeking ways to help mitigate their impact, smashLAB found few resources directly related to graphic design. "We sought to create a resource that would serve as a comprehensible first-step for designers wishing to embrace more sustainable practices. Additionally, Design Can Change aimed to unite the world's graphic designers to use their influence and purchasing power to combat climate change," explains smashLAB creative director, Karjaluoto.

Ascent

Ascent is a company with two divisions: a charter helicopter service that provides specialized flight services for mining exploration, aerial construction, fire fighting and heli-skiing. Additionally, they run a startup aerospace company that designs and manufactures specialized aeronautic equipment for both government and industry. SmashLAB was tasked with crafting an identity and website that worked for both divisions. The resulting design conveys the notion of "exclusivity" and infused an elegant and refined aesthetic. Bold statements and clear messaging exude the confidence that comes from experience and success, while aspirational imagery illustrates the mythic and majestic nature of flying.

Borealis

Borealis is a voluntary carbon-offset provider that creates and manages forests to store CO². Realizing the destructive magnitude of a mountain pine beetle infestation, the Borealis consortium of eleven forest-management consultancies and businesses was formed to create mitigation and response strategies for sustaining the forest products industry and local communities through the crisis. SmashLAB designed an unexpected brand identity and an information-focused website for the consortium. The visual treatments are informed by the Aurora Borealis, a naturally occurring light phenomenon in the sky at the Earth's poles. They are conveyed through a series of concentric circles that almost come to life by way of an optical illusion, and augmented by the deep, rich colors found in the Aurora Borealis.

Northern British Columbia Tourism

Northern BC's vast wilderness comprises more than half the province—approximately 193,051 square miles (500,000 sq km)—twice the size of the U.K. Northern BC Tourism markets this vast region to visitors. SmashLAB completely rebranded the organization with a new identity, printed collateral, presentation materials, website, and ad campaign. The ads feature a somewhat irreverent take on bear-safety notifications while showcasing the area's stunning backdrops. "We intended to break away from some of the more tired tourism imagery, and the man in the bear suit helps accomplish this," says smashLAB creative director, Karjaluoto.

SEI: The Green Report Card

The SEI (The Sustainable Endowments Institute) College Sustainability Report Card is the only independent evaluation of colleges and universities that are leading by example in their commitment to sustainability. To extend its usefulness and reach, the client needed to offer a clear and concise online tool that would welcome users with readily accessible information. "They felt that they had to be increasingly transparent with regards to how their grading system works in order to cement the credibility of their data," explains Karjaluoto. "They also wanted to streamline the cumbersome method in which they compiled data in the field." The new site facilitates data collection, while allowing users to easily browse and compare massive amounts of data.