2019
Human Beings, Utrecht, NL
A series of album art for techno music act Human Beings. Consistency and diversity within one visual system was key.
These are music fossils hidden under an artificial layer and ready to be discovered in a not so near future.
The shapes are recalculations of the actual sound files, created with custom made design software. The complete sound characteristics of each album were translated into the X-Y-Z axis resulting in unique 3D shapes.
Sound, a memory frozen in time.
2018
AUT University, Auckland, NZ
The Rookie fashion show was in need for a new visual language. Letters are forced into a rigid grid resulting into a provocation of discomfort combined with strict rhythm. The system found its way into a logo, print works and projected visuals during the show.
Together with friends, Matt and Emma, I co-founded and co-organise UX Homegrown, an independent one day conference by and for Aotearoa based designers, developers, product managers, and everybody else who is involved in User Experience Design.
I do the graphic design for this one too. The design focuses on the speakers and facilitators of the day. Of course they get their own custom tees.
The 2018 edition was based on urban silhouettes. 2017 was inspired by Bill Atkinson and his Hypercard, the first interaction design tool I engaged with.
2018
Pablo Discobar, Amsterdam, NL
Graphic design brand identity for Pablo Discobar, a Dutch streetwear company with a twist. Not too serious and rather playful with existing fashion semantics. It includes a logo that can be used with or without the portrait of the notorious patrón.
The project includes pattern design as well. Here a joyful experience between macro and micro change the houndstooth motive into Sigsauer P226 handguns and polkadots appear to be a collection of Amsterdam’s best selling xtc pills.
Party o plombo?
2014
AUT University, Auckland, NZ
Art direction and graphic design dynamic conference identity: implementation logo and artwork in print and online publications and way finding strategy.
Best Awards finalist Small Brand Identty
2011
Yield – making fashion without making waste – Wellington, NZ, New York City, USA.
Art direction and graphic design exhibition identity Yield: logo, spatial information design, brochure design, website design and implementation transmedia concepts.
MESH is a new multi-disciplinary collaborative platform which strives to achieve connectedness and synergies across the School of Art + Design at AUT University. MESH is a shared creative space, where students, staff and external partners collaborate and experiment with new and emerging facets of art and design practice – for one day a week.
The ‘creative test-kitchen’ concept emphasises the importance of process and discovery – and challenges students and staff to expand their creative arts and design processes beyond what is standard and known. MESH Media aims at continuous spreadability of these processes through online and conventional media to become part of existing conversations on art and design.
2015
Auckland Art Gallery, NZ
Book design for the Auckland Art Gallery. Engaging Pulbics, Public Engagement is the first volume in the series Artmatter.
2013–2014
AUT University, Auckland, NZ
Audio responsive event based visual system, supplying a multisensory user experience as well as defining the background for the show’s photography.
Graphic design dynamic corporate identity: logo, catering for dynamic information design in a variety of social and printed media and event based projections.
2013–2104
New Zealand Dance Company, Auckland, NZ
Typographic animation design of a series of projected introductions for the 2013/2014 Language of Living performances in collaboration with composer John Gibson, set designer Sue Gallagher and costume designer Andreas Mikellis.
2012
AUT University, Auckland, NZ
Art direction and graphic design dynamic festival identity: implementation logo and artwork in print and online publications and way finding strategy.
2013
Eburon, NL
Book design for the Eburon publishing house.
2013
Het Kantoor
ID design system for Dutch governmental campaign to improve the perception of the role of teachers. "10 voor de Leraar" translates as "A+ for the teacher". The logo could be adjusted to a variety of A+ for a variety of sub domains within education culture.
2009
Melling Morse Architects, Wellington, NZ
Opened by Prof. Dr. Hagoort, professor Art and Economics at the Utrecht University of the Arts. Commissioned by Blow Festival, Massey University. The Royal Embassy of The Netherlands contributed to this Dutch Design event.
2007–2009
Last series of gig posters for Pop Venue Tivoli
1989–2009
Poppodium Tivoli – Pop Venue Tivoli – Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Art direction, graphic and communication design corporate identity: from business card to concert poster, from ticket to entrance sign and from flyer to website.
18+, Almost two decades of Pop Design for Tivoli by Gerbrand van Melle, an anthology of design work for venue Tivoli, published and launched in november 2007.
ISBN/EAN 978-90-9022501-2
For eight years I was the residential designer responsible for the brand identity of this colourful and loud museum. This institute houses one of the world’s foremost collections of automatic musical instruments. The main objective was to turn the museum inside out through stationary and publication design.
Utrecht Centre for the Arts (UCK) is a community college in Utrecht, The Netherlands. Here people learn painting, playing instruments, dance, act, photography and other forms of creativity. I was responsible for the execution of corporate identity and the implementation of print and web strategies.
Schrijf-Schrijf translates as Write-Write. This collective of editors and copy writers was given a colourful typographic appearance.
For SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research I completed the art direction, graphic and interactive design of school–project Seeds in Space. The project included the logo, stationary and teaching material, website and online games.
The design work actually left the atmosphere of planet earth…
I started design career in the late eighties. With friends from design school I started a cooperative group of creative talents called AAP, ‘Monkey’ in Dutch. Situated in a squatted 18th century school building my first design firm arose from art projects and applied design works. Together with a partner I was responsible for the growth into a medium sized design studio including 12 members of staff, specialising in graphic and typographic design.
Besides applied work time was always found for non commercial projects, like experimental movies and games. Major clients included Political Party GreenLeft, SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research, Utrecht University, Utrecht City Council, Play It Again Sam Records, Album Publishers, Theatre group Growing Up In Public, Centro Flamenco Puro, National Museum from Musical Clock to Street Organ and music venue Tivoli.
2015
Studio One Toi Tu
Sleeping with Bees, an exhibition of design investigations into a natural living system. A 3D printing collaboration with live bees was presented at Studio One Toi Tu, Auckland, NZ.
The work was presented at the monthly lecture series Creative Mornings Auckland in August 2017 and featured on Radio New Zealand.
2014
St Paul St Gallery
Sound Bites, St Paul St Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand. Exhibition of an interactive sound installation and 3D printed chocolate artefacts.
Materialising the immaterial: Sound and memory as intimate personal experience.
Sound Bites is the result of an experimental design practice. Four days of 24/7 ambient sound recordings resulted in 128 4-second intimate sound loops. Fast Fourier Transform frequency analysis and geometrical operations transformed time, frequency, and amplitude into X, Y and Z dimensions, forming 3D sonic shapes. These ‘disco donuts’ were 3D printed into 128 sound objects. Vacuum molded they formed the base to cast 128 unique chocolate objects. New rhythmic patterns were created, comprising frozen moments in time.
Matter is energy. Objects are processes. Memories are expectations.
Creative direction: Gerbrand van Melle
Technical direction: Stefan Marks
Video: Monday Productions
Audio Recording: Voice Recorder HD
Audio Analysis and 3D modeling: Processing 2.0.1
3D printing: Colab Additive Manufacturing Lab, AUT University, New Zealand
PET Molding: 3D Lab, AUT University, New Zealand
Chocolate casting: Swiss Bliss, Waitoki, New Zealand
2015
Colloredo-Mansfeld Palace - City Gallery Prague, Czech Republic
Responsive audio visual installation for Auckland Arts Festival, New Zealand and 2015 Prague Quadrennial of Performance Design and Space, the world’s leading event in the field of performance and scenography, Prague, Czech Republic.