Span

One for the books 📖 literally! Our studio’s client work is featured in Thinking Through Graphic Design History, a design history book challenges the the canon. We couldn’t be more thrilled for Aggie Toppins and her authorship of design's latest history book. Cheers to Bloomsbury USA for publishing and releasing the book yesterday. Design often claims to champion originality and innovation, but this book dives deeper, examining the graphic design field’s roots and how historical context shapes the work we create today. It challenges the traditional narrative of design history, expanding the conversation to include diverse perspectives, global insights, and socially engaged practices. To have our client work enter a history book that reframes how we think about the past, present, and future of design is an honor. This recognition is a powerful reminder that what we create today serves not only as a tool of transformation for our clients but also as inspiration and a catalyst for growth, understanding, and progress for others in the decades to come.

One for the books 📖 literally! Our studio’s client work is featured in Thinking Through Graphic Design History, a design history book challenges the the canon. We couldn’t be more thrilled for Aggie Toppins and her authorship of design's latest history book. Cheers to Bloomsbury USA for publishing and releasing the book yesterday. Design often claims to champion originality and innovation, but this book dives deeper, examining the graphic design field’s roots and how historical context shapes the work we create today. It challenges the traditional narrative of design history, expanding the conversation to include diverse perspectives, global insights, and socially engaged practices. To have our client work enter a history book that reframes how we think about the past, present, and future of design is an honor. This recognition is a powerful reminder that what we create today serves not only as a tool of transformation for our clients but also as inspiration and a catalyst for growth, understanding, and progress for others in the decades to come.

At Span, our recently launched visual identity and website for IIT College of Architecture turns Mies Van Der Rohe’s legacy into a vision for its future. The IIT College of Architecture stands at the intersection of modernist legacy and future-forward innovation. Educating the next generation of architects in Mies van der Rohe’s Crown Hall, the school balances conceptual exploration with hands-on, material practice. Yet their outdated website no longer reflected this dynamic identity, nor did it adequately convey the breadth and depth of the student experience. Span was engaged to craft a graphic identity system and bring IIT’s essence to life online honoring this legacy while propelling the college toward future innovation, led by partner Bud Rodecker. Our team highlighted IIT’s hard-working, humble ethos and commitment to the community while emphasizing its intellectual rigor and innovative spirit. IIT Visual Identity case study: https://lnkd.in/gF93jxNx IIT Website case study: https://lnkd.in/gMDrzKWd Central to the brand refresh was a typographic system that included Neue Galerie—a digital revival of Mies van der Rohe’s “Allzweck” drawings—and The Future, a contemporary take on Futura, historically used at IIT in the 1940s. These typographic choices ground the brand in both heritage and forward-thinking, mirroring the school’s balance of conceptual and hands-on approaches. Through immersive workshops and a meticulous design process, we created a refreshed brand system, responsive website, cohesive set of graphics, and supporting elements—like a refined color palette, modernist grid structures, and flexible layouts—reinforce IIT’s ethos of “shut up and build.” Through a visual system that is humble yet meticulously crafted, the new identity underscores IIT’s commitment to shaping architects who bring transformative ideas to life. Client: IIT College of Architecture Span design team: Bud Rodecker—Design Direction Alyssa Arnesen—Design Alec Hudson—Design Brett Burwell—Web Development Photography: Judith Rackow #architecture #design #chicago

The future of transit in Chicago hangs in the balance as our region faces a ”fiscal cliff” of a multimillion dollar budget gap thanks to decades of underfunding. Over at Span we recently led the strategy and design behind the Regional Transportation Authority of Northeastern Illinois (RTA) Transforming Transit plan — the RTA’s proposal would transform transit operations in our region, bringing a level of connectivity throughout city and suburbs that has never existed before. Span casestudy: https://lnkd.in/g4DaP-SN The final printed piece was distributed to key stakeholders, the press, and to attendees at a presentation by board chairman Kirk Dillard at the City Club of Chicago. Led by John Pobojewski, Span designed the plan’s layout including creating 3D visualizations and app interfaces that feature the benefits of RTA’s centralized approach. Digital signage illustrates how easy it will be to catch multimodal transfers between buses, trains, and amongst regional and city operators. New centralized app interfaces showcase up-to-the-minute arrival and delay information, and a new proposed voucher system. Span design team: John Pobojewski — Concept, Design Direction, Strategy, Design Valeria Bernal — Design, Animation Zach Minnich — 3D, Animation Architecture partner: UrbanLab Architecture & Urban Design Regional Transit Authority team: Tina Fassett Smith Melissa Silverberg Meyer Jessica Cabe Miles Kredich Natalie R. Printing: Classic Color

The time is now — Chicago has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to transform our transit system. It’s exciting to see the work we’re connected to featured in the national discussion through Bloomberg News. At Span we led the strategy and design behind the Regional Transportation Authority of Northeastern Illinois (RTA)’s visionary Transforming Transit plan — a proposal to invest $1.5 billion annually in the Chicago region’s transit system operations in order to increase service frequency and lower wait times nearly 50%. https://lnkd.in/g9bxdsYW

“OMG ... Have You Seen That New Logo?!” Recently, Abbey Bamford wrote 'Discourse or Diss-course?: Canceling Criticism Culture' on Creative Boom, featuring insights from Span partners John Pobojewski and Bud Rodecker. Span outtakes: The current climate is being fueled by "diss-course" platforms and that design social media has embraced "a combative zeitgeist to exploit more clicks and attention". Pobojewski says: It's a competitive world out there, and creating arenas in which people can say their 'fuck you' with pith and shallow humor seems to be the goal of many publishing platforms these days. "As a result, this climate really fosters 'blandness' and uniformity; safe solutions and gestures that 'just work' seem to get the most positive feedback." Pobojewski calls for critique to be more "layered, nuanced, and thoughtful" and says that design media has a role in inviting more professional discourse. "And, as designers, we need to not fall for these silly traps and recognize that 150 characters in a comment forum is not an intelligent way to contribute to the dialogue," he adds. Span partner and design director Bud Rodecker reinforces that we don't see "the long nights, hard choices, or quiet fights" behind a piece of design work, adding that it always takes more effort than what a case study can convey. He says, "It's a wonder that any bold idea ever reaches the light of day, but, in the end—if the brand stands on solid ground and was born of true thought and honest purpose—the team should stand by it with pride. "The worst thing is to see them give up when the first stones are thrown. We must remember that nothing new is born without courage; we must leave room for it to grow." "Go to a conference and meet your peers face to face; discuss and debate issues; respectfully reach out via email and begin a dialogue rather than hiding behind a username. We all have a collective responsibility to change this climate." Complete article: https://lnkd.in/eGpvc33x

Span was named one of the Most Responsible Designers in a feature by GDUSA Magazine. Thinking of your impact in 2025? Get inspired by the designers whose innovative work has earned them GDUSA’s recognition as the Most Responsible Designers. https://lnkd.in/gaBSEksp

We are entering 2025 with a big win! 🍾 This “we” is all about our clients and our team. A huge thank you to Communication Arts for publishing Jude Stewart’s 8-page feature spotlighting our partnerships and the incredible work we’ve done across cultural, academic, civic, and community institutions. 📖 Dive into the full article: https://lnkd.in/gA_bbvCf 🫣 Want a glimpse of the projects CommArts covered? Here you go: 🌱 Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum – Rebranding and redesigning the website to inspire the next generation of nature champions. 🚉 Regional Transportation Authority of Northeastern Illinois (RTA) – Crafting a new brand that champions accountability, transparency, and equity in transit. 🏥 The Architecture of Health book, as well as, Design and Healing: Creative Responses to Epidemics exhibition – both we designed in collaboration with Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum & MASS Design Group. 📚 Nazareth University – A brand evolution that deeply reflects the heart of its 100-year history and the campus experience. 🎥 South Side Home Movie Project – A visual identity and interactive film archive that honors the rich history of South Side Chicago, supported by Arts + Public Life and University of Chicago. 💻 MAS Context – Rebranding and designing an interactive publishing platform for one of the nation’s foremost presentations of architectural and design culture. 🎡 Slow & Low Lowrider Festival – Crafting the visual identity for Chicago’s largest independent arts festival What moments are you taking into 2025, and why? We’d love to hear your thoughts!

Help keep foster siblings together. It’s a simple idea and a profound mission to which we are proud to be connected to. Preserving sibling bonds helps provide stability, nurtures belonging, and strengthens resilience. This is the critical work of our client One Family Illinois. At Span, Partner John Pobojewski and his team worked closely with CEO Delphine F. Rankin, Ed.D to rename and design the visual brand identity for One Family Illinois, aligning it with the organization’s mission to redefine foster care by keeping siblings together. After the rebrand, at Span we partnered with renowned director and Guggenheim New York Fellow Carlos Javier Ortiz to create a short film for One Family Illinois that captures the transformative impact of their mission. Short Film: https://lnkd.in/g4VYJg3k Working with Ortiz’s stunning cinematography, we edited and designed the film to emphasize the vibrant spirit found in One Family communities: colorful clothing, children’s artwork, and autumn landscapes. Ortiz’s signature blend of slow motion and honest storytelling brings authenticity and warmth to the narrative. At the heart of the bold, modern visual brand identity for One Family Illinois is an emblem symbolizing the unity of home, family, and siblings. The vibrant color palette celebrates diversity and inclusivity, while a dynamic secondary pattern enlivens materials across platforms. The typography is modern yet playful — a nod to the organization’s ties to Chicago architecture, with community centers designed by Studio Gang Architects and Juan Gabriel Moreno Architects (JGMA). We’re proud to help One Family Illinois share its story and amplify its vision of keeping foster siblings together. Visual Brand Identity Case Study: https://lnkd.in/ggZYhJ3R Span Team John Pobojewski, Concept, Design Direction, Strategy Valeria Bernal, Design, Animation, Editing Carlos Javier Ortiz, Cinematography, Film Direction Sara Stern Writing

GeerHouse in Durham, North Carolina, is a prime example of design embracing a site’s unique equity and amplifying it. Thank you SODA and Abbey Bamford for talking with Span Partner, Bud Rodecker about his team’s brand identity system. Bud’s brand identity strategy for GeerHouse was rooted in the vibrant and expressive culture of its surrounding neighborhood. Inspired by the vernacular graphics of shipping containers and train cars, Bud Rodecker’s team at Span developed a dynamic system featuring a suite of mix-and-match logos. Designed with consistent proportions, the logo system offered flexibility and adaptability, seamlessly extending across a wide range of applications. Beyond the logo suite, Span created a cohesive set of brand materials, including banners, stationery, promotional items, and the leasing website. At every touchpoint, our goal was to capture and convey the energy and spirit of GeerHouse, reflecting the vitality of both the development and the community it calls home. Span project team: Bud Rodecker, Design Direction, Design Marisa Cruz, Design Alyssa Arnesen, Design Client: Bell Partners Inc Architect: Studio Twenty Seven Architecture Community Photography: 8 Bit Photography