We at People of Resource were pleased to debut our design exhibition, Yall & Us, on Saturday, June 5, 2010 at our studio in the historic Telephone Factory at the end of Modern Atlanta’s design week.

Although the focus was on design from all over the US, it was certainly our goal to put a bit of a Southern accent on the proceedings.

Toward that end, we sought to align every aspect of the event with that combination of scrappiness and hospitality for which the American South is known. In contrast to the typical trappings of the design exhibition world (wristbands, “no sit” signs, and corporate sponsors), Yall & Us attendees paid no admission and enjoyed complimentary Bourbon & Blenheims and Pimm’s Cups while admiring 40 design objects by 15 designers from across the US.

Hands-on interaction with the objects was encouraged and those who were especially intrigued were able to order prized pieces for themselves from their mobile phones thanks to e-commerce support from Subports.

The design of the exhibit itself drew on the utilitarian language of workshops: information about the objects and designers was displayed clearly on clipboards throughout the space. Illumination was provided by generic, everyday clamp lamps fitted with halogen bulbs.

FEATURED DESIGNERS

Craigton Berman, Chicago
Design Glut, Brooklyn
Et. Al., Etc., New York City
Jason Miller, Brooklyn
Joey Roth, San Francisco
Jonas Damon, New York City
Kiel Mead, New York City
Materious, Chicago
Object Group, New York City
Refined Sugar Studio, Cincinnati
Rich Brilliant Willing, New York City
Studio 1 AM, Chicago
Thoughtbarn, Austin
Von Tundra, Portland
Wintercheck Factory, Brooklyn

COLLABORATIONS

One exciting aspect of planning, designing, and producing this exhibition was the opportunity it presented to work with talented friends on various components of the show. We were pleased to commission Jason Travis to photograph the weekend’s events. In the weeks leading up to the show, we commissioned Farbod Kokabi of Armchair to create the exhibit’s bold, minimalist promotional graphics. Finally, we designed an e-commerce site filled with objects from the exhibit for Subports. For their part, Subports handled development of the site and provided their innovative text-to-buy platform as the e-commerce backend for both the site and the exhibit itself.

From a very early age, Alex King has been interested in machinery and tools. For Alex, this interest is more than just a predilection, it’s in his DNA: Alex got his start making machinery for his father’s company and grew up with a grandfather who worked for Lockheed, the Oakridge US Arsenal, and the CDC.

Fast-forward to 2010: Alex King has been in the manufacturing and fabrication business for over 20 years in the Atlanta area. During this time, the web has become a critical source of information and interaction for society. Despite having nothing in the way of a web presence, Alex has built Precision Fabrication into a successful business through hard work, talent, and satisfied clients. Alex realized that even a business like his, rooted in physical manufacturing, couldn’t continue to grow without approaching the internet as a channel for new business.

Solution

With our feet planted in both the digital and physical realms, People of Resource were uniquely suited to understand the realities of Alex’s business, as well as the challenges of translating his value proposition to the web.

Our first priority was in communicating the breadth and depth of his facilities and project experience. Doing this in a simple, powerful, and visual way was the grounding of this project. The outcome of this initiative is an interactive video piece that directly presents Precision Fabrication’s capabilities to each visitor. This device is supported by a flexible, easy-to-update framework that clearly supplies vital information and allows Precision Fabrication to keep a fresh, current web presence.

Results

Using the visual and captivating language of high-quality video, the website serves initially as an interest-grabbing platform. However, the site is much more than just a pretty face: Alex is continuously adding new work and experience to create a deep, living catalog of his firm’s track record as leaders in their field. This visceral demonstration of their prowess has resulted in the fruition of our goals for this project: increased sales and interest in the company. Alex has reported back to us with a pronounced uptick in business. What’s even more exciting is the fact that the majority of new leads are coming to Precision Fabrication through their new website.

Our work encompasses industrial design, interior architecture, photography, film, art direction, graphic design, and interactive design. This transdisciplinary approach creates a rich, energetic studio environment and helps us to see the gamut of possibilities in a new light.

Our purpose is to work alongside our clients to dissolve their creative problems. Our commitment to doing our best possible work builds trust and reputation, transcending disciplines and categories. We are change agents and our propulsive positive attitude brings out the best in the people we work with. We share a desire to collaborate with companies, individuals, and institutions who are interested in making things better.

Located in a renovated telephone factory on the Eastside of Atlanta, People of Resource is a lean office, able to offer stronger results and accelerated schedules at highly competitive rates.

We work side-by-side with our clients to envision, research, design, prototype, and deploy experiences, products, and services.

These solutions can take the form of:

-Strategy
-Workshops
-Art Direction
-Branding
-Graphic Design for Print and Web
-Interactive Design
-Photography
-Filmmaking
-Product Design
-Furniture Design
-Interior Architecture for Offices, Retailers, and Restaurants

Our Clients

We are humbled to work with an ambitious and diverse group of leaders. Our client list includes:

-Savannah College of Art and Design
-Georgia Institute of Technology
-Malcolm Fontier
-Deviant Ventures
-Jonathan Adler
-The Jones Group
-Modern Atlanta
-Info Retail
-Armchair
-SEEDR
-Coca-Cola
-Fossil

David’s work has garnered numerous design awards and recognition from blogs, publications, and design institutions. His firms have served a wide range of clients, from giants like Coca-Cola and Fossil Inc. to innovative start-ups like the Center for the Visually Impaired and No Brakes Atlanta.

Roots Atlanta provides an encouraging and challenging support system to enable young people to flourish from the inside out. The heart of this organization and its desire to serve in a meaningful way attracted the People of Resource to run alongside its pursuits and actions.

After creating an identity and web site for Roots Atlanta, we approached them with a program of fun and interactive custom furnishings. When the unexpected difficulties that come with every start-up effort appeared, the time and budget demands tightened significantly.

Solution

We responded to the situation by calling on local organizations for donated materials, and using some clever design details to deliver an exciting, modern, and functional space.

With the help of the local school system surplus and Mohawk carpets, we were able to obtain old art tables, work tables, chairs, and carpet tiles.

We fabricated a shelving system out of a single piece of reclaimed walnut to showcase the best children’s books. By retrofitting affordable Ikea shelving with a mason jar storage system, craft supplies became easy to find and organize. We also utilized extra legs from school desks to make a maple reading table and a twelve-foot, solid, heart-pine bench.

Results

The space is now brimming with fun and excitement. Just from walking in, kids can feel the energy and intent of Roots’ energetic founder, Nicki Keys.

Dex is a leading provider of sustainable product using responsible practices. The firm is dedicated to exploring, pursuing, and executing creative applications of concrete and terrazzo.

When Craig Smith and Lauriel Leonard started Dex in 1999, their manufacturing of beautiful, original finishes made with recycled material and found objects pre-dated today’s green building movement by half a decade.

Having proven our agility by executing both displays and product photography for Dex, People of Resource was Craig and Lauriel’s chosen partner when it became obvious that Dex needed a more robust website to display their prodigious product offerings.

Solution

Dex has an expansive portfolio of materials, products, and custom projects. We began by researching and cataloguing the company’s output throughout its history – we were struck by the many exciting custom projects that, in the steady flow of day-to-day business, simply hadn’t been shown off to the degree that their quality demanded.

By tightly structuring a consistent layout, creating feature pages to highlight partnerships, designing icons for material types, and articulating descriptions of their projects, we primed Dex’s work to be viewed at its best.

Results

We created a clean environment that requires minimal cognitive load to navigate and effectively communicates a commitment to craft and exploration.

Since the relaunch, their visits and exposure improved and exceeded the previous site’s rates.

Amy Rouse, a California-based herbalist and consultant, wanted to create a platform to provide quality advice for healthier living. She was seeking a new identity and website to showcase her services and products. She turned to People of Resource for a clean, modern update.

Solution

Our approach to the Backyard Remedies logo was to create a mark with texture, playing off the blending of Amy’s medicines, by overlaying primary-color ink splotches to create specific floral compositions.

The primary goal of the website was to create appropriate avenues for learning about the services and products Amy offers, with each path on the site leading people to contact her directly.

David Daniels is an Atlanta-based architect with an extensive portfolio that includes restaurant interiors, private residences, and modern live-work spaces. With experience at nationally-recognized firms like Cooper Carry and Ai Group under his belt, David approached us ready to accelerate his private practice.

People of Resource’s relationship with David goes back – we’ve designed and fabricated furniture for a variety of his interior architecture projects. This history allowed People of Resource the luxury of already being familiar with David’s distinct style. The longevity of our relationship with David is something we take great pleasure in.

Solution

David’s work features distinctive contemporary forms. We approached the identity for David Daniels Design particularly inspired by his local residential projects. We elected to represent this work through a form that resides in the area between two- and three-dimensionality.

By developing an architecture based on project type, creating project pages that focus on imagery, and highlighting his best work through a rolling feature page, we established the breadth and variety of his portfolio.

Results

We created a clean environment that allows David’s work to be viewed at a high resolution, highlighting the striking character and precise details of his spaces and exteriors. The identity we created for David aligns with the aesthetics and quality of his architecture to reinforce his brand and build awareness of his practice in the marketplace.