Node Berlin Oslo talks through its redesign of Haus der Kulturen der Welt

Multifaceted design studio Node Berlin Oslo has created a redesign of Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Germany’s national centre for international contemporary arts based in Berlin.

The studio’s collaboration with HKW began in 2012, but after the first four years of the contract Node Berlin Oslo had to enter a competition to continue the work. They were announced winners at the end of 2016. Throughout 2017 the two will continue to unite creatively, leading with a new identity.

The former identity designed by the studio used “the circle, or ‘focal point’ as a core element and has been renewed by us recently,” explains Serge of Node Berlin. “The new identity is based on a custom version of the Lyno typeface by Karl Nawrot and Radim Pesko that has been modified and expanded in collaboration with Node Berlin Oslo. The plan is to develop new cuts, together with the two type designers.”

The Lyno typeface is characteristic in its “use of single ‘irritating letters’, deviating from the norm defying design standards,” Serge explains. “Furthermore the typeface is hard to place in a certain period of time, and mirrors past and future, which is connected to the approach of HKW.” The studio considers the typeface “as a flexible, expandable system, building an identity with a characteristic face”. However, despite the versatility of the former identity, the volume of work which HKW releases called “for a less static system, that additionally would allow us to work with purely typographic solutions”.

Node Berlin Oslo’s work for HKW includes a corporate identity and website design alongside, project identities, posters, signage, banners, posters, flyers, advertisements and publication design. It will “closely collaborate with HKW and the individual curators, head of departments and the communication department”.