GradwellCorporateDesign | history
Ahead of the game... again
An interview with Geoff Gradwell... (before he went grey he tells us!)
The founder of Gradwell Corporate Design identifies the value of corporate
communication, the ever popular ‘branding’ and business value of design.
"Our work has literally touched millions of people – unfortunately people have never heard of us" Geoff Gradwell announces.
"Our design work on environmental signing schemes for Royal Mail, Manchester
Airport and numerous shopping centres alone
have inter-acted with thousands (millions even) of the public without them
knowing, let alone all the targeted business audiences
we have attracted!"
Like many designers, working away, their dedication to their design work is
paramount in satisfying their own egos, they don't
need design awards or television appearances to know what they do serves benefit
to business and society. (see link to Walter Gropius/Sir George Grenfell Baines)
"I realised during my days at art college that educating clients and the public
alike to the influence, impact and benefit of design would be a major factor,
not as it has turned out – a life-long preoccupation".
We are sat in the understated modest design studio's surroundings that reflect
the low profile, deep-thinking, reflective personality
of the company's founder. In contrast a small collection of brightly coloured
masks adorn the walls, brought back from visits to
associate offices overseas, suggest something of a different personality.
Here is a designer who thinks deeply about problems faced by business, getting
to the real root of the problem – and then
producing objective rational solutions based on analytical criteria and
vehemently opposed to superficial 'pretty designs' which
have no relevance.
Passionate about the work produced, attention to detail and years of experience
are reflected in final solutions – but it is not
all serious – passionate about his work, yes, but tempered with a wry and satirical sense of
humour, you can never be sure
which way a sentence will end.
"I remember in my early days just out of college someone saying to me 'you won't
make a lot of money in this profession –
you can have a nice lifestyle but you will enjoy what you will do' and so it has
proved, you can't sub me a tenner can you?!
When I think of all the wonderful people I have met, the places I have travelled
and the things I have seen – it has been great fun" Geoff declares. "From the rooftops of shopping centres,
the deep security halls of defence establishments, backstage at theatre,
in every nook and cranny of international airports, let alone businesses as
diverse as professional consultants to cheese-makers,
all over the UK, printers in Prague, and our associate overseas offices in
Singapore and Sydney, I've seen some sights...but we'd better not talk about
them!". "Going to work every day is because I want to, because I believe in
what I do" he quips diverting to
answer an urgent phone call.
A few minutes later and he's off again, "Human communication has always
fascinated me and the history of how we have arrived where we are now – from neolithic cave art, development of an alphabet through the Phoenicians,
Greeks and Romans, medieval scribes, Faust and Gotenburg and the printed word,
through the Renaissance, Christopher Plantin, John Baskerville of Birmingham,
the industrial revolution, nineteenth and twentieth century developments to the
impact of micro-computers, desk top super computers, the internet and use of
world wide web. We all communicate, not only literally but subliminally, not
only to each other but across cultures and national boundaries – it is an amazing world we live in." Once started you can't shut him up!
Here is a designer who knows his business – the psychology of human interaction, design methods and processes, mention any
of them and be prepared to sit and listen to the passion with which he extols
belief in human interaction. Relevance? Bring all this knowledge, experience
and understanding to bear on business problems and you know that the client is
the one who will benefit.
"Business that stand still are dead ducks, the value of intellectual capital, of
which design is a major component is the future, you only need to look at the
demise (and subsequent resurrection) of Marks and Spencer to realise how
quickly it can happen and the connection between design and the public. They
wont say we 'like design' but finally they are learning not to pay for goods,
materials and services that are 'inferior' in design quality'. "Brain power,
innovation, differentiation, the ability to communicate effectively and ideas
are the future. The ability to do things differently".
Design (creativity) IS the difference.
Radical stuff from a lonely outpost?
Don't count on it, watch this space...
Footnote
Government and Business has now come to recognise the value ‘design’ has to bottom line operations – led by practitioners like Geoff Gradwell who have been championing the cause and
actively engaged in changing the way we all work and live for many years.
Intellectual property is now a recognised value to business profit and loss
accounts.
Gradwell Corporate Design – ahead of the game... again!
