The Best of BP&O — Graphic Identities of 2018

Selected by Richard Baird.

2018 was a great year for graphic identity design. Highlights included Collins’ bold and evocative work for technology festival PopTech, the cheerful riso-printed approach taken by Spy for Hackney Forest School, and Fabio Ongarato Design’s work for 85 Spring Street. There were, however, five projects that stood out, and have made it into BP&O’s Best Of Series. These typically balance a strong strategic approach and interesting concept with a compelling aesthetic and communicative intention. Between them appropriately play with photography, colour, texture, layout, form, type and print finish. These are BP&O’s favourites and are presented in no particular order.

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The Best of BP&O — Books & Magazines of 2018

Selected by Richard Baird.

As BP&O continues to build out its reviews to include work beyond graphic identity and package design we take a look back at the books and magazines published on BP&O in 2018. Highlights included Bedow’s haunting work on Who Protects Me From Violence, Fredrik Værslev As I Imagine Him by Zak Group andStudio Mut’s book on New Architecture in South Tyroll. However, there were five projects that stood out, and have made it into BP&O’s Best Of Series.

This feature brings together those book and magazine projects that find a synergy between content and form, and often develop the notion of pretext further, published on the site during 2018 for another opportunity to be seen and shared. These balance a strong and appropriate concept, structure and form with a compelling graphic and material response. These are BP&O’s favourites, and are presented in no particular order.

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The Best of BP&O — Packaging of 2018

Selected by Richard Baird.

2018’s package design highlights included Commission’s work for Unfolded, Here Design’s packaging for Riso Duomo and Base Design’s copy-led approach to the packaging of Garden 13. However, there were five projects that stood out, and have made it into BP&O’s Best Of Series. These typically balance a strong and appropriate concept with a compelling graphic and material response. Between them, these play with image, colour, texture, layout, structure, type, print finish and occasionally mechanism and sequence in a distinctive and memorable manner, and hint at an interesting story. There are those that are esoteric and luxury, and others that are playful and universal. In their collation, they collectively show the creative opportunities available to designers. These are BP&O’s favourites and are presented in no particular order.

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