Sachin Desai

 

Sachin Desai

 

Studied fine art photography (1997-1999) at The Queensland College of Art, Brisbane, Australia and architecture (1991-1993) at The Institute of Environmental Design, VVN, India.

Sachin began his career with 'Mele Melange' a solo exhibition showcasing fine art and architectural photography. He soon established himself as successful visual artist and photographer working with reputed architects and design establishments across India.

Now he works as an independent visualizer, graphic designer, and photographer specializing in art, photography, experiential graphic design and placemaking from his studio in Ahmedabad, India.

  • Commissioned Art & Graphics
  • Fine Art Photography
  • Architectural Photography
  • Exhibition Design
  • Signage & Wayfinding Design
  • Brand & Identity Development
  • Installations

 

Experiential Graphic Design

Environmental Graphic Design (XGD or Experiential Graphic Design) is a design profession embracing many design disciplines including graphic design, art, architecture, industrial design, landscape architecture, brand & identity development, core signage and wayfinding. All concerned with the visual and functional aspects of communicating identity and information, shaping the idea of creating experiences that connect people to place.

The word environmental refers to graphic design as part of creating within the built environment, not to the natural environment or environmental engineering. Because of the confusion between the two, the field is now becoming known as “Experiential Graphic Design” to more accurately reflect the expanding nature of communication in the built environment.

Experiential more accurately describes the work which involves more than just the core signage and wayfinding disciplines. It encompasses the broader notion of all communication in the built environment which includes colour, typography form, digital technology, imagery and content to ensure rich interactions between a user in a place and the information being provided.

Wayfinding is an important aspect of what experiential graphic design can do to improve people's experience of place. If visitors cannot find their way around, nothing else matters. Wayfinding forms the very core of a visitors experience of a place.

Increasingly, today Experiential Graphic Design involves dynamic digital technology. Elements arranged into systems which introduce the concepts of changing content, motion and interaction between a user in a place and information as opposed to the simple one way communication of information from static element to the user as occurred in the traditional notion of Static Experiential Graphic Design.

Over the past few decades, Experiential Graphics Design has rapidly progressed from signage and wayfinding to placemaking and is on the way to becoming the digital interface of the public facing part of the smart cities concept.

Basically, the success of a company, public space or retail environment is determined by it’s ability to connect with the target audience. At sachin desai we consistently deliver striking end user experiences involving art, interior and exterior visual communications and signage strategies that get you recognized. Developing placemaking and branding solutions for institutions, corporate and retail environments that create powerful, captivating and aesthetically appealing imagery is not all. We use the tools and story-telling approaches of XGD to create more engaging and meaningful interactions with the user.

We create 'Environments that Communicate'.

 

Signage & Wayfinding Design

  • Where are you?
  • Where are you heading to?
  • What do you see?
  • Why did you see it?
  • What did you do with the information.

An introduction to signage design, wayfinding and how various aspects of experiential graphic design come together to create a clear and concise system that applies to the built environment.

Signage Design is a combination of visual icons, imagery, typefaces, colours as well as ergonomics. Way-finding and Signage is an essential element in all public spaces to enhance end user experience of place.

Navigation from place to place is a fundamental human activity and an integral part of everyday life. People use their knowledge and previous experiences to find their way in the built environment. The human perception of the built environment and information in a space comes down to balance and focus.

Wayfinding Basics
Wayfinding has the function to inform people of the surroundings in the (unfamiliar) built environment, it is important to show information at strategic points to guide people into the right directions. Complex structures in the built environment are interpreted and stored by the human memory. Distances, Locations and Time may be remembered differently than as they appear to be in reality.

An effective wayfinding system is based on human behavior and consists of the following characteristics:

  • Do not make them think.
    Create a comprehensive, clear and consistent visual communication system with concise messaging.
  • Show only what is needed.
    Show information what relevant is to the space, location and or navigation path.
  • Remove excessive information.
    Remove unnecessary elements to create a clear visual environment ahead.

How it works
How do most people orientate, navigate or remember the built environment? Why will people recognize or understand one place easier than another? It is like a geographical map versus cognitive (mental) map = reality versus human mental memory. When creating a wayfinding scheme the following characteristics influences the way we interpreted the built environment.

Landmarks
To create a legible environment it is necessary to mark specific spaces and / or locations. This reinforces the recognition of places and plays a part in overseeing a larger area. With the use of landmarks and marking elements an area will become more visible and will be understand better in the human memory. Landmarks can be art-objects, buildings, street art, wayfinding signs or striking elements in a landscape. These elements combined will shape the identity of an (unknown) area as seen from your perspective.

Orientation
In order to navigate, you need to know where you are in the built environment and where other destinations are located. Preferably it is good to know the distance in time from one place to another. If you are able to orientate yourself within the built environment, it will be easier to understand destinations and to navigate by landmarks. In wayfinding, maps are common used to indicate your location. The usage of maps is a very powerful way of expressing and overseeing the built environment.

Navigation
Navigating the physical reference to a particular area, setting or destination. With the usage of directional (static/dynamic) signs people will be guided along their path towards destinations.

 

Brand & Identity Development

We approach each project as a whole, where various disciplines of XGD come together as one. Each contributing in shaping and highlighting the goals, idea, vision and success of a brand.

Our Goal

  • Developing your Brand

Our Strategy

  • The Process

Our Understanding

  • There is a big difference between developing an ad campaign and launching a new brand strategy.
  • Promotion of your brand is key, but
  • Strategy has to engage internal stakeholders and the culture of the organization.
  • Operational considerations help support and enhance your brand story.

The Process

  • Each Brand is unique.
  • Identify brand essence and communicate it in a way that:
    • Educates
    • Entertains
    • Engages
  • Develop a strategy that is not just based on Promotions.
  • Development Stage (Internal /external audits, understanding core values & philosophy of the brand)
  • Inspirational Stage (Engaging and exciting key stakeholders)
  • Operational Stage (Making the brand promise stick)
  • Cultural Stage (Living the brand)
  • Promotional Stage (Telling your story)

A brand strategy can make a difference in developing a successful brand. It is a function of various critical aspects:

  • Sensitivity, Empathy & Transparency
  • Communicating through your staff, facility and collaterals.
  • Develop communication strategies that resonate and build trust.
  • External communication is not a key driver to building trust or business.
  • It is the 'EXPERIENCE' that counts. "Branding isn't just about advertising, marketing and public relations".
  • Designing a brand experience that genuinely showcases your brand values.
  • While most experience design looks great on paper. The concept to actual execution is typically marred by several issues.
  • A lot of time needs to be invested by you as well as the agencies to understand how the space created will interact with the end user or the context in which their beautiful creative’s (promotional, art etc.) may be perceived.
  • Develop internal belief systems in your staff (they deliver the experience and impact brand perception)
  • Invest in technology to enhance end user experience.
  • Talk to your end user and make your services available online. (It provides you with an opportunity to keep your them engaged.
  • There is an immense opportunity out there to engage with your audience, an audience that is hungry for interaction. Making this a social media strategic priority will put you far ahead of your competition. Just try not to annoy them.
  • Shift focus from "Vanity Metrics"

While all these concepts do make a tremendous difference in your brands market perception, what is crucial is a wholistic framework that needs to be implemented consistently and genuinely. Customers know when there is lack of transparency and begin to lose trust in a brand.