Press
Colossal
Colossal Highlights Span’s Identity and Motion System for 4×4: Contemporary Art in Chicago by Grace Ebert | 16 July 2026
Colossal highlights Span’s identity and motion system for 4×4: Contemporary Art in Chicago, Pentimenti Productions’ documentary series pairing four Chicago artists with four filmmakers. Led by Nick Adam with Kevin Moreland, the frame-based language unifies posters, title sequences, and motion while allowing each film to retain its own voice. Season one premiered to a sold-out audience at MCA Chicago.
Fast Company
Fast Company Features Span’s Bud Rodecker on the Skyscraper as a Defining American Design by Lilly Smith | 3 July 2026
Among more than 30 designers invited by Fast Company to identify defining examples of American design, Span’s Bud Rodecker chose the skyscraper. He traces its Chicago lineage from the Home Insurance Building to the Obama Presidential Center, framing architecture as an expression of ambition, optimism, and civic identity.
“The skyscraper is an optimistic design, one of innovation and idealism. It’s a design that keeps us all looking up.”—Bud Rodecker, partner and design director, Span
GDUSA
GDUSA Features Span’s Exhibition Graphics for Flyway City at the Chicago Architecture Center by GDUSA Editorial Team | 18 June 2026
For GDUSA, Span’s identity and environmental graphics for Flyway City: Architecture for a Flourishing Ecosystem show how exhibition design can make complex ecological research accessible. Led by Bud Rodecker and created with Studio Gang for the Chicago Architecture Center, the system uses large-scale typography, interpretive graphics, and an ovenbird mascot to explain bird-safe design strategies.
“We also had to create order and hierarchy out of a lot of information, translating the ideas behind the exhibition concept into 3D space.”—Bud Rodecker, partner and design director, Span
Newcity
Newcity Design 50 Recognizes Span’s John Pobojewski, Bud Rodecker, and Nick Adam by Mary Wisniewski | 3 June 2026
Newcity Design’s 2026 Design 50 includes Span’s John Pobojewski, Bud Rodecker, and Nick Adam, recognizing their influence on Chicago graphic design. The profile frames Span’s branding, exhibitions, websites, publications, and environmental graphics for Intuit Art Museum, Chicago Reader, First Lady cruises, and the Illinois Department of Human Rights as creative infrastructure.
Design Of Podcast
John Pobojewski on Building Brands That Last by Justin Ahrens | 9 April 2026
Design Of speaks with Span partner John Pobojewski about building brands around durable ideas rather than passing visual trends. The episode frames design as an act of leadership and decision-making, grounded in clarity, conviction, and the discipline to make work that holds meaning over time.
“If there’s no idea behind it, it’s just style. And style doesn’t last.”— John Pobojewski, partner and design director, Span
GDUSA Editorial Team
GDUSA Publishes Span’s Bud Rodecker on Higher-Education Branding in the AI Era by Bud Rodecker | 23 February 2026
In GDUSA, Bud Rodecker examines how colleges and universities can respond to artificial intelligence, declining enrollment, and skepticism about higher education. Drawing on Span’s identity work for IIT College of Architecture and Nazareth University, he argues that institutional history can clarify purpose and guide a relevant brand without chasing trends or nostalgia.
“That reflection on the past can offer a path to evolution.”—Bud Rodecker, partner and design director, Span
Confessions of a Creative Director
Nick Adam on Design’s Role in Battling Hate by Jaime Cabrera | 6 February 2026
On Confessions of a Creative Director, Span Associate Partner and Design Director Nick Adam connects his roots in Chicago’s punk, graffiti, and rave cultures to his civic design practice. Through Help Stop Hate and Slow & Low, he considers how identity, visibility, and belonging can be designed into public life.
Creative Review
Creative Review Publishes Span’s John Pobojewski on the Identity Crisis Facing Arts and Culture by John Pobojewski | 7 January 2026
Creative Review publishes John Pobojewski’s essay on how branding can keep theaters, museums, galleries, and cultural organizations vital to their communities. Drawing on Span’s work for Chicago Repertory Ballet and Little Village Arts Fest, he presents visual identity as civic infrastructure that can build participation and belonging.
“The visual language of a theatre or museum is civic language.”—John Pobojewski, partner and design director, Span
Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune Names The Capulets, with Projection Design by Span, Among Chicago’s Best Dance of 2025 by Lauren Warnecke | 10 December 2025
Chicago Tribune dance critic Lauren Warnecke names Chicago Repertory Ballet’s The Capulets among Chicago’s standout dance productions of 2025. Span’s John Pobojewski and Zach Minnich created the projection design for its immersive multimedia environment.
“The entire team brought this company to the next level, with an immersive multimedia setting.”—Lauren Warnecke, Chicago Tribune
Communication Arts
Communication Arts Features Span’s Identity and Teaser Campaign for The Capulets by John Pobojewski | 5 December 2025
Communication Arts features Span’s identity and teaser campaign for Chicago Repertory Ballet’s The Capulets. Led by John Pobojewski, Span used custom Didone lettering and 3D imagery to establish the ballet’s visual world before sets, costumes, or staging existed, with the campaign later influencing the production’s stage design.
“Span designed the identity and teaser for The Capulets, setting the ballet’s look before the stage was built.”—Communication Arts
PRINT Profiles Span’s Reverent Identity for Slow & Low: Chicago Lowrider Festival by Charlotte Beach | 25 November 2025
PRINT profiles Span’s 2025 identity and environmental graphics for Slow & Low, Chicago’s lowrider festival at Navy Pier. Led by Nick Adam with Slow & Low curators Lauren M. Pacheco, Peter Kepha, and Edward “Magico” Calderon, the system honored Chicano visual traditions through expressive typography, bilingual signage, and large-scale graphics across the half-mile site.
“The brief demanded courage and care, and Span’s stance was to be bold and reverent, not kitsch or trend-chasing.”—Charlotte Beach, PRINT
World Brand Design
World Brand Design Society Features Span’s Identity for Slow & Low by World Brand Design Society Editorial Team | 19 November 2025
World Brand Design Society features Span’s 2025 identity for Slow & Low: Chicago Lowrider Festival at Navy Pier. Led by Nick Adam with the festival’s curators, the system uses softened blackletter, four hand-drawn roses, bilingual wayfinding, and large-scale graphics to honor Chicano lowrider culture and welcome 15,000 attendees.
“Slow & Low has always been about community and inclusivity, so it was important that we design with authors, not about them.”—Nick Adam, associate partner and design director, Span
Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune Reviews The Capulets’ Immersive World, with Projection Design by Span by Lauren Warnecke | 8 November 2025
Chicago Tribune critic Lauren Warnecke reviews Chicago Repertory Ballet’s The Capulets, highlighting immersive projections by Span’s John Pobojewski and Zach Minnich. Designed for the Ruth Page Center, the projection system shifts between placemaking and abstraction, helping build the visual world for the company’s most ambitious production to date.
“The projections…take full advantage of the Ruth Page Center’s architectural eccentricities.”—Lauren Warnecke, Chicago Tribune
Colossal
Colossal Highlights The Capulets, Featuring Digital Set Design by Span by Christopher Jobson | 7 November 2025
Colossal highlights Chicago Repertory Ballet’s The Capulets, a reimagining of Romeo and Juliet from Lady Capulet’s perspective. Span’s John Pobojewski and Zach Minnich designed the digital set, creating a dramatic contemporary environment for the 16th-century story.
Creative Review
Creative Review Features Span’s Nick Adam on Hospitality Branding Beyond Nostalgia by Mark Sinclair | 6 November 2025
Creative Review turns to Span’s Nick Adam for a view on hospitality branding shaped by character, context, and emotional honesty. Through Span’s identities for Hot Chi and Pizzeria Bebu, Adam shows how food, service, architecture, and local culture can create restaurant brands built to grow without losing their character.
“The best hospitality brands aren’t retro. They’re intentional. They build trust because they feel made, not manufactured. Crafted, not generated.”—Nick Adam, associate partner and design director, Span
This is Colassal
Colossal Highlights Span’s Branding for Slow & Low at Navy Pier by Grace Ebert | 9 October 2025
Colossal previews Slow & Low: Chicago Lowrider Festival at Navy Pier, highlighting the event’s branding by Span. The newsletter connects Span’s identity to a day-long celebration of lowrider cars, bikes, and culture at the Chicago lakefront venue.
Sports Business Journal
Sports Business Journal Publishes Span’s Bud Rodecker on Sports Branding and Legacy by Bud Rodecker | 22 September 2025
In Sports Business Journal, Span’s Bud Rodecker writes that sports branding must carry history, reflect community, and give fans something to own. Drawing on Span’s exhibition work about Wrigley Field, he shows how a brand can preserve its legacy while evolving with its audience.
“Fans don’t just cheer for a team; they become stewards of its legacy.”—Bud Rodecker, partner and design director, Span
World Brand Design Society
World Brand Design Society Features Span’s Rebrand of First Lady by World Brand Design Society Editorial team | 18 September 2025
World Brand Design Society examines Span’s rebrand and website for First Lady, the 90-year-old Chicago cruise operator and official cruise line of the Chicago Architecture Center. Led by Nick Adam, Span simplified the name and carried a Chicago-rooted identity across the website, uniforms, fleet, and passenger experience, helping the company reclaim distinction in a crowded market.
“This was a moment to cut through a sea of sameness and help First Lady claim their rightful place—not just as the first, but as the one and only.”—Nick Adam, associate partner and design director, Span
GDUSA
GDUSA Features Span’s Naming and Statewide Campaign for Help Stop Hate by GDUSA Editorial Team | 12 September 2025
GDUSA profiles Span’s naming, identity, and statewide campaign for Help Stop Hate, created with IHDD for the Illinois Department of Human Rights and Commission on Discrimination and Hate Crimes. Led by Nick Adam, the trauma-informed, seven-language system centered care and action; within one week, reports reached five times the six-month pilot total.
OOH Today
OOH Today Features Span’s Statewide Campaign for Help Stop Hate by OOH Today Editorial Team | 19 August 2025
OOH Today examines Span’s naming, identity, and statewide campaign for Help Stop Hate, created with IHDD for the Illinois Department of Human Rights and Commission on Discrimination and Hate Crimes. Built across seven languages and audio, the trauma-informed system drove five times the six-month pilot’s report volume in its first week.
“It was a rare moment of civic design leadership—one that underscored what design can do when it’s truly in service of the public good.”—Nick Adam, associate partner and design director, Span
Creative Review
Creative Review Publishes Span’s Nick Adam on Designing Against Hate by Nick Adam | 18 August 2025
In Creative Review, Nick Adam writes that designers can counter hate through clear definitions, belonging, action, and public presence. Drawing on Span’s Help Stop Hate campaign for Illinois, he shows how branding across websites, radio, posters, and billboards can interrupt normalization, build trust, and guide people toward support.
“We should fight to earn trust by making anti-hate legible—not just visually and linguistically, but emotionally.”—Nick Adam, associate partner and design director, Span
Roastbrief
Roastbrief Profiles Span’s Naming, Identity, and Statewide Campaign for Help Stop Hate by Roastbrief Editorial Team | 15 August 2025
Roastbrief traces how Span renamed Illinois v. Hate as Help Stop Hate and built the identity and statewide campaign for two Illinois civil-rights agencies. Led by Nick Adam with IHDD, the seven-language system centered care and action; first-week reports reached five times the six-month pilot total.
“Ultimately, Help Stop Hate affirmed what we’ve always believed: the most impactful design is crafted to be beautiful, smart, accountable, trusted and shared.”—Nick Adam, associate partner and design director, Span
Brand New
Brand New Reviews Span’s New Identity for First Lady by Kate Melvin | 14 August 2025
Brand New reviews Span’s rebrand and website for First Lady, operator of the Chicago Architecture Center River Cruise. The publication praises the Chicago-rooted wordmark and notes how the identity replaces a forgettable tourist image with a distinctive system that carries the company’s history into the present.
“The new wordmark is refined and confident, striking a nice balance between approachability and emotion.”—Kate Melvin, Brand New
The Daily Heller Interviews Span’s Nick Adam on Designing Help Stop Hate as Civic Infrastructure by Steven Heller | 13 August 2025
Steven Heller interviews Span’s Nick Adam for PRINT’s The Daily Heller about Help Stop Hate, created with UIC’s Institute for Healthcare Delivery Design for the Illinois Department of Human Rights. Span renamed and redesigned the service across seven languages; reports rose 12,000% week over week after launch.
“This wasn’t just a rebrand; it was the design of civic infrastructure, built to deliver both practical support and a public statement that hate is wrong.”—Nick Adam, associate partner and design director, Span
Ad Age
Ad Age Names Span’s Help Stop Hate One of 10 Creative Campaigns to Know by Ad Age Creativity Staff | 21 July 2025
Ad Age names Span’s Help Stop Hate among 10 creative campaigns to know, alongside work for Apple and Jordan Brand. Created for two Illinois civil-rights agencies, Span’s statewide identity and campaign designed identity and campaign launched in seven languages and drove a fivefold increase in hate reports during its first week.
Print Magazine
PRINT Profiles Span’s Rebrand of Intuit Art Museum by Charlotte Beach | 3 July 2025
PRINT profiles Span’s renaming and rebrand of Intuit Art Museum as the Chicago institution expanded from a center into a destination museum. Bud Rodecker explains how the identity, signage, website, and marketing preserve 30 years of equity while welcoming younger audiences and foregrounding self-taught artists.
“Turning a specialized institution into one of the most welcoming museums in Chicago, while honoring its unique roots, is exactly the outcome we set out to achieve.”—Bud Rodecker, partner and design director, Span
Visuelle
Visuelle Spotlights Span’s Rebrand of Intuit Art Museum by David Bennett | 12 June 2025
Visuelle spotlights Span’s identity, wayfinding, marketing, and website for Intuit Art Museum. Led by Bud Rodecker, the system draws on the raw, handmade character of self-taught art to create a playful, inclusive museum experience that welcomes broader audiences without losing the collection’s singular spirit.
“Span’s creative direction embraces the raw, handmade aesthetic that defines Intuit’s collection.”—David Bennett, curator, Visuelle
Planetizen
Planetizen Publishes Span’s John Pobojewski on Better Public-Sector Design by John Pobojewski | 9 June 2025
In Planetizen, John Pobojewski calls for stronger public-sector graphic design and procurement that welcomes more capable studios. Drawing on Span’s work for Chicago’s Regional Transportation Authority, he shows how strategic communication can make complex civic information useful, accessible, and easier for communities to trust.
“Organizations should partner with designers who know how to present a strong, creative concept that is strategically sound and clearly understood.”—John Pobojewski, partner and design director, Span
ArtDaily
ArtDaily Profiles Span’s Inclusive Identity for Intuit Art Museum by ArtDaily Editorial Team | 2 June 2025
ArtDaily follows Intuit Art Museum’s evolution from arts center to full-fledged museum through Span’s renaming, identity system, exhibition, signage, and website design. Led by Bud Rodecker with strategist Donna Speigel, the system unites brand, architecture, typography, artist-derived icons, and welcoming language to broaden access while embracing Intuit’s unconventional character.
“The partnership with Span has been essential to developing Intuit’s new presence, both online and in person.”—Debra Kerr, president and CEO, Intuit Art Museum
PRINT Interviews Span’s John Pobojewski on AI, Letterforms, and Urbanism by Kim Tidwell | 22 April 2025
PRINT interviews Span partner John Pobojewski about Pillage Purge Plunder, his Typeforce installation combining custom letterforms with 360 AI-generated urban landscapes. The work critiques megadevelopment, environmental exploitation, and AI ethics while connecting his artistic practice to Span’s boundary-crossing approach to graphic design.
“We founded Span on the idea of ‘crossing boundaries’ in graphic design.”—John Pobojewski, partner and design director, Span
Communication Arts
Communication Arts Features Span’s Identity and Website for IIT College of Architecture by Bud Rodecker | 15 March 2025
In Communication Arts, Bud Rodecker explains how Span evolved IIT College of Architecture’s identity and website around the modernist logic of IIT’s S. R. Crown Hall. A 2:1 grid and historically rooted typography connect the school’s Mies van der Rohe legacy to a digital experience built for contemporary architectural education.
“When we showed it to faculty, their reaction was simply ‘This is IIT,’ confirming that the digital environment truly reflects the school’s essence.”—Bud Rodecker, partner and design director, Span
PRINT Examines Span’s Type-Led Rebrand for IIT College of Architecture by Kim Tidwell | 11 March 2025
PRINT examines Span’s identity and website for IIT College of Architecture, led by Bud Rodecker. Neue Galerie and The Future connect the system to Mies van der Rohe, Futura, and S.R. Crown Hall, while a disciplined grid and restrained palette carry the school’s modernist legacy toward a new generation.
“The school tapped Chicago studio Span to lead the rebrand, designing a comprehensive new visual identity anchored by a new logo and website.”—Kim Tidwell, PRINT
Creative Bloq
Creative Bloq Features Span’s Modernist Identity and Website for IIT College of Architecture by Rosie Hilder | 11 February 2025
Creative Bloq examines Span’s identity and website for IIT College of Architecture, rooted in Mies van der Rohe’s modernist legacy. Led by Bud Rodecker, the system pairs Neue Galerie and The Future with Crown Hall’s 2:1 proportions, organizing more than 8,000 images into a contemporary platform for students and faculty.
“We’re not following trends, we are designing with intention and purpose—immersing ourselves in the subject matter to create work that feels authentic and resonant.”—Bud Rodecker, partner and design director, Span
Newcity
Newcity Highlights Span’s Miesian Rebrand for IIT College of Architecture by Ray Pride | 10 February 2025
Newcity highlights Span’s identity and website for IIT College of Architecture, shaped by Mies van der Rohe’s legacy and S. R. Crown Hall. Neue Galerie, a revival of Mies’s Allzweck typeface, and a 2:1 grid translate the building’s structure into a contemporary digital system for architectural education.
“The site is also a digital version of Crown Hall, reflecting its unique floating style and using the same two-by-one grid proportions as the building.”—Newcity
Design Week The Outline
Design Week Highlights Span’s Typographic System for IIT College of Architecture by Rob Alderson | 10 February 2025
Among Design Week editor Rob Alderson’s daily design picks, Span’s typographic system for IIT College of Architecture connects the school’s modernist legacy to contemporary use. Neue Galerie revives Mies van der Rohe’s Allzweck drawings, while The Future reinterprets the Futura used by IIT in the 1940s.
Colossal
Colossal Previews Typeforce 13, Including Work by Span’s John Pobojewski by Grace Ebert | 30 January 2025
Colossal previews Typeforce 13 at Co-Prosperity, where Span partner John Pobojewski debuted Pillage Purge Plunder. Built from 360 AI-generated landscapes shaped by original letterforms, the installation critiques unchecked urban development, environmental exploitation, and design’s role in selling speculative futures.
GDUSA
GDUSA Features Span’s Naming and Rebrand of One Family Illinois by GDUSA Editorial Team | 21 January 2025
GDUSA features Span’s transformation of SOS Children’s Villages Illinois into One Family Illinois, a name and identity centered on its mission to keep siblings together in foster care. John Pobojewski led the naming process with CEO Delphine Rankin and the board, then extended the strategy across communications and an original short film.
Creative Boom
Creative Boom Features Span’s John Pobojewski and Bud Rodecker on Design Criticism and Creative Risk by Abbey Bamford | 18 December 2024
Creative Boom brings Span partners John Pobojewski and Bud Rodecker into a wider debate on design criticism, creative risk, and professional responsibility. Pobojewski calls for more layered, thoughtful critique, while Rodecker argues that teams should stand behind bold work grounded in honest purpose.
“We must remember that nothing new is born without courage; we must leave room for it to grow.”—Bud Rodecker, partner and design director, Span
GDUSA
GDUSA Names Span’s Nick Adam, John Pobojewski, and Bud Rodecker Responsible Designers to Watch by GDUSA Editorial Team | 15 November 2024
GDUSA recognizes Span leaders Nick Adam, John Pobojewski, and Bud Rodecker among its 2024 Responsible Designers to Watch. The profile highlights their socially conscious work for community organizations, cultural institutions, architectural practices, and government agencies, including collaborations with Cooper Hewitt, SOM, and Slow & Low.
“Our partners aren’t just business managers; they actively drive the creative process … and maintain direct client relationships while being hands-on designers.”—Nick Adam, John Pobojewski, and Bud Rodecker, Span
Communication Arts
Communication Arts Profiles Span’s Partner-Led, Multidisciplinary Practice by Jude Stewart | 5 November 2024
Communication Arts profiles Span leaders Nick Adam, John Pobojewski, and Bud Rodecker, tracing the studio’s partner-led practice across brand identity, websites, exhibitions, publications, motion, and civic design. Jude Stewart shows how deep listening, historical research, and long-term client relationships produce flexible systems designed to grow with organizations.
“The vast majority of our clients are long term; we’ve become trusted collaborators with them.”—Bud Rodecker, founder and design director, Span
Brand New, a division of UnderConsideration
Brand New Praises Span’s Identity and Environmental Graphics for Slow & Low by Armin Vit | 4 November 2024
Brand New reviews Span’s 2024 identity and environmental graphics for Slow & Low: Chicago Lowrider Festival, created with curators Lauren M. Pacheco, Peter Kepha, and Edward “Magico” Calderon. Armin Vit praises the expressive typography and immersive Navy Pier installation for capturing lowrider culture while giving the 15,000-person festival a cohesive public presence.
“Overall, I think this is a fantastic identity that captures the energy of the event and becomes a great backdrop and complement to the cars and the attendees, celebrating the maximalism and abundance of self expression of Lowrider culture.”—Armin Vit, Brand New
State of Illinois Newsroom
Governor Pritzker Launches Help Stop Hate, Named and Designed by Span | 30 October 2024
The State of Illinois announces Governor JB Pritzker’s launch of Help Stop Hate, the statewide service renamed and designed by Span for the Illinois Department of Human Rights and Commission on Discrimination and Hate Crimes. The free, confidential, multilingual service helps Illinoisans report hate outside law enforcement and connect with trauma-informed support.
“I’m proud to officially launch Help Stop Hate, a new resource that will help protect and empower victims and witnesses to incidents of hate.”—Governor JB Pritzker
GDUSA Features Span’s Identity for South Side Sanctuary in Bronzeville
GDUSA Features Span’s Identity for South Side Sanctuary in Bronzeville by GDUSA Editorial Staff | 1 September 2024
GDUSA features Span’s identity for South Side Sanctuary, a public park that transformed a vacant Bronzeville lot into an inclusive gathering place. Led by Nick Adam, the custom typography, adaptable signage, and neighborhood-rooted palette connect the park’s architecture to the movement of pedestrians, skaters, cyclists, and wheelchair users.
“The visual identity by Span reflects the form, expression, and movement in the park’s intentionally inclusive architecture and the diverse activities of its visitors.” —GDUSA Editorial Staff
Creative Boom
Creative Boom Profiles Span’s Community-Rooted Identity for South Side Sanctuary by Abbey Bamford | 29 August 2024
Creative Boom follows Span’s identity for South Side Sanctuary, a Bronzeville park developed by The Nascent Group and Black Girls Shred. Led by Nick Adam, the year-long process supported community engagement and fundraising before construction, then translated the park’s architecture, neighborhood history, and relational color into a flexible public system.
“At Span, we didn’t brand a park; we reflected outwardly its identity.”—Nick Adam, associate partner and design director, Span
Fonts In Use
Fonts In Use Selects Span and Manual Cinema’s Countdown as a Staff Pick by Nick Adam, Span | 22 August 2024
Fonts In Use selects Countdown, Span’s collaboration with Emmy Award–winning Manual Cinema, as a Staff Pick. Conceived and art directed by John Pobojewski, the film moves from handmade shadow puppetry into Span’s animated 3D world, with custom numerals and an expansive type palette driving its frantic narrative.
PRINT Magazine
PRINT Profiles Span’s Type-Led Identity for South Side Sanctuary by Kim Tidwell | 6 August 2024
PRINT profiles Span’s custom type-led identity for South Side Sanctuary, a new public park created from a vacant Bronzeville lot. Led by Nick Adam, custom letterforms draw from the site’s architecture, topography, and Apache Wakefield’s historic Bronzeville bench, giving the park a flexible civic identity across signage, print, digital, and fundraising.
“The typography and color system work together incredibly well across various contexts, from outdoor to print to digital to fundraising merch.”—Kim Tidwell, PRINT
User Journey, Society of Typographic Arts
Span Co-Founder Bud Rodecker on Design, Justice, and Leadership by Sevy Perez | 15 July 2024
On the Society of Typographic Arts’ User Journey podcast, Span co-founder Bud Rodecker discusses his path from intern to partner and founder. The conversation examines formal play, the designer’s role in social and environmental justice, and the practical lessons that help creative leaders win clients’ trust.
Fast Company
Fast Company Invites Span’s Bud Rodecker to Rank 20 City Identities by Elissaveta M. Brandon | 2 July 2024
Fast Company invited Span’s Bud Rodecker to join eight international design experts in ranking 20 city identities. Rodecker named Hong Kong a winner and praised Los Angeles for capturing its nostalgic past, bringing Span’s place-branding perspective to a global discussion of how visual identity can express a city’s character.
“L.A. perfectly captures the nostalgic past.”—Bud Rodecker, partner and design director, Span
Communication Arts
Communication Arts Profiles Span’s Collaborative Book Design for Kohler’s 150th Anniversary by Bud Rodecker | 1 July 2024
Communication Arts profiles Span’s design of Be Bold, the commemorative book for Kohler's 150th anniversary. Led by Bud Rodecker, the voice-driven system brings first-person stories, archival imagery, bold typography, and tactile production into a cohesive publication delivered for the company’s anniversary celebration.
“We worked closely with the Kohler team late in the process to rethink our page and pacing for the book.”—Bud Rodecker, partner and design director, Span
Newcity
Newcity Design 50 Recognizes Span Among the Leaders Shaping Chicago Graphic Design by Vasia Rigou | 4 June 2024
Newcity Design names Span’s John Pobojewski, Bud Rodecker, and Nick Adam among the people shaping Chicago graphic design. The profile highlights Span’s typographic rigor, experimentation, and close collaboration with clients and community leaders across brand identity and website work for the Nature Museum, Intuit Art Museum, and Manual Cinema.
“As designers, we know that our work contributes to and reflects culture. But Span believes that we can also contribute our own voices to culture.”—John Pobojewski, Bud Rodecker, and Nick Adam, Span
By the Way
The Bytheway Features Span’s Expressive Identity for Chicago Repertory Ballet by The Bytheway Editorial Team | 20 May 2024
Russian-language creative publication The Bytheway features Span’s identity for Chicago Repertory Ballet’s tenth season. The system uses vivid pink and orange gradients to express movement, confidence, and inclusion, while the Modern Motions campaign pairs contemporary typography with echoing letterforms that suggest dancers in motion.
Creative Boom
Creative Boom Profiles Span’s Prairie-Inspired Rebrand of Chicago’s Nature Museum by Abbey Bamford | 20 May 2024
Creative Boom examines Span’s rebrand and website for the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum and Chicago Academy of Sciences. Led by Nick Adam, Span clarified the relationship between the public museum and 167-year-old scientific institution, then built an adaptable identity from Illinois prairie colors and Tonka and New Atten typefaces.
“This blend of old and new, historic and relevant, natural and digital perfectly encapsulated the essence of the Nature Museum.”—Nick Adam, associate partner and design director, Span
Brand New, a division of UnderConsideration
Brand New Reviews Span’s Rebrand and Website for Chicago’s Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum by Armin Vit | 13 May 2024
Brand New reviews Span’s rebrand and website for the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, praising its clearer hierarchy, typographic craft, and vibrant visual connection to Illinois prairies. Led by Nick Adam, the identity elevates the more accessible “Nature Museum” name while preserving its relationship to the Chicago Academy of Sciences and serving audiences across education, conservation, and scientific research.
“Overall, a very flora-esque identity that unequivocally feels like nature … delivered with some nice typographic choices for a cultural institution look.”
—Armin Vit, Brand New
Print Magazine
PRINT Profiles Span’s Book Design for Slow & Low by Charlotte Beach | 10 May 2024
PRINT examines Span’s design of the Slow & Low art book, the first formal documentation of Chicago’s lowrider community. Led by Nick Adam and created closely with the festival’s curators, the 112-page book turns twelve years of photography into a cinematic archive through sequencing, typography, reflective materials, and tactile production.
“Span took on the design of Slow & Low with the imperative that every detail and aspect of the book must somehow reflect lowrider culture.”—Charlotte Beach, PRINT
Crain’s
Crain’s Chicago Business Covers Span’s First Nature Museum Rebrand in 20 Years by Corli Jay | 25 April 2024
Crain’s Chicago Business covers the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum’s first major rebrand in 20 years, led by Span. Created with museum leadership, the identity, website, and campaign draw from Illinois prairies and reposition the 167-year-old institution as a welcoming destination for all ages while reinforcing its conservation mission.
“So much of the brand, and what’s behind the design, is really opening up … to show that we are a place that’s welcoming of all people and all ages.”—Erin Amico, president and CEO, Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
Creative Boom
Creative Boom Profiles Span’s Book Design for Slow & Low by Abbey Bamford | 16 April 2024
Creative Boom profiles Span’s design of the Slow & Low art book, a photographic archive of twelve years of Chicago lowrider culture. Led by Nick Adam with co-founders Lauren M. Pacheco and Peter Kepha, the book uses customized blackletter, cinematic sequencing, metallic ink, and tactile production to honor faith, family, friendship, and cultural memory.
“Design has the power to level playing fields, amplify voices, and create artifacts that become part of history.”—Nick Adam, associate partner and design director, Span
GDUSA
GDUSA Profiles Span’s Book Design for Slow & Low by GDUSA Editorial Team | 3 April 2024
GDUSA profiles Span’s design and production of the Slow & Low art book, the first formal book documenting Chicago’s lowrider community. Led by Nick Adam, the 112-page photo essay uses custom lettering, filmic sequencing, hydraulic typography, spot gloss, and work by 14 community photographers to carry twelve years of culture into print.
“Every editorial design move Span made for Slow & Low is connected to Lowrider culture.”—GDUSA Editorial Staff
Fonts In Use
Fonts In Use Documents Span’s Typographic Identity for Slow & Low 2023 | 3 April 2024
Fonts In Use documents Span’s 2023 identity and exhibition graphics for Slow & Low: Chicago Lowrider Festival. Created with the festival’s curators, the system pairs customized Respira and Canela with dimensional marigolds and community photography, turning Navy Pier into a place of belonging rooted in Chicano lowrider culture.
This is Colossal
Colossal Spotlights Span and Manual Cinema’s Short Film Countdown by Grace Ebert | 22 February 2024
Colossal spotlights Countdown, conceived by Span’s John Pobojewski and created with Manual Cinema. Handmade puppetry and live action give way to Span’s 3D animation, bringing performance, music, typography, and motion together in a distinctive cinematic world.
GDUSA
GDUSA Features Span’s Commemorative Book for Kohler’s 150th Anniversary by GDUSA Editorial Team | 2 January 2024
GDUSA features Be Bold, the 150th-anniversary book Kohler commissioned Span to write, edit, curate, design, and produce. Led by Bud Rodecker, the publication combines creator interviews, archival material, bold typography, holographic foil, and tactile production into a forward-looking record of Kohler’s culture of innovation.
Fast Company
Fast Company Invites Span’s Nick Adam to Rank 2023’s Best and Worst Rebrands by Elissaveta M. Brandon | 21 December 2023
Fast Company invited Span’s Nick Adam and five other branding experts to rank ten of 2023’s most discussed rebrands. Adam placed Bolt first and Max last, using both to show how identity systems communicate through form, voice, and tone.
“Every aspect of a visual identity has the opportunity to communicate.”
—Nick Adam, associate partner and design director, Span
Brand New
Brand New Spots Span’s New Identity for Chicago’s Regional Transportation Authority by Armin Vit | 15 December 2023
Brand New spotlights Span’s new logo and identity for Chicago’s Regional Transportation Authority. Designed to clarify RTA’s role alongside CTA, Metra, and Pace, the system gives regional transit across northeastern Illinois a more unified and accessible public presence.
DIELINE
DIELINE Includes Span’s Chicago Blend in Monotype’s 2024 Type Trend Report by Theresa Christine Johnson | 29 November 2023
DIELINE includes Span’s packaging for The Chicago Blend in its coverage of Monotype’s 2024 Type Trends report. Created with the Design Museum of Chicago and Metropolis Coffee Company, the expressive design and typographic system turns a coffee bag into a layered celebration of Chicago design history and public culture.
Newcity
Newcity Design Interviews Span’s Nick Adam on Designing The Chicago Blend by Vasia Rigou | 8 November 2023
Newcity Design interviews Span’s Nick Adam about The Chicago Blend, created with the Design Museum of Chicago and Metropolis Coffee Company. Adam explains how Span distilled Chicago design history into an original coffee package that supports free cultural programming and brings the city’s creative legacy into an everyday ritual.
“The result is a bag that stimulates the senses and ignites inspiration. In this sense, the bag is much like the product itself—a stimulant.”—Nick Adam, associate partner and design director, Span.
Underscore, Chicago Graphic Design Club
Bud Rodecker Defines Design Excellence on Underscore by Christian Solorzano | 16 October 2023
Span partner Bud Rodecker joins Underscore to discuss how archives, experiments, and unexpected references shape his creative process. He also defines excellence across typography, color, and communication, and explains how Span works with organizations advancing social and environmental change in Chicago and beyond.
DIELINE
DIELINE Features Span’s Packaging Design for The Chicago Blend by Chloe Cordover | 11 September 2023
DIELINE features Span’s packaging design for The Chicago Blend, a coffee collaboration supporting the Design Museum of Chicago’s free public programming. Led by Nick Adam, the system layers elements inspired by the city grid, New Bauhaus, street lettering, and work by Susan Jackson Keig, György Kepes, and Tomoko Miho into a contemporary portrait of Chicago design.
“Span Studio’s packaging design for The Chicago Blend coffee is a captivating departure from conventional consumer packaged goods narratives.”—DIELINE
Underscore, Chicago Graphic Design Club
John Pobojewski Discusses Listening and Purpose-Led Design on Underscore by Christian Solorzano | 7 August 2023
On Underscore, Span partner John Pobojewski traces how his education in music shaped his graphic design practice and reflects on lessons from sixteen years at Thirst. The conversation centers on listening, discovery, and the responsibility designers have to create thoughtful, purpose-led responses.
GDUSA
GDUSA profiles Span’s rebrand of Nazareth University as the institution entered its second century. by GDUSA Editorial Staff | 7 August 2023
GDUSA profiles Span’s rebrand Nazareth University as the institution entered its second century. Working from a temporary studio on campus, Span transformed the student shorthand “NAZ” into a contemporary identity and opened the traditional academic shield into a more welcoming symbol of belonging.
PRINT Magazine
The Daily Heller Interviews Span’s Nick Adam and Bud Rodecker on Rebranding Nazareth University by Steven Heller | 7 August 2023
PRINT’s Steven Heller interviews Span’s Nick Adam and Bud Rodecker about the studio’s immersive rebrand of Nazareth University. Span built a temporary studio on campus, working daily with students and leadership to reach consensus and deliver a 101-page identity toolkit in five days—a participatory process designed to earn community pride rather than resistance.
“Work like this is intentionally ‘with’ the client, stakeholders and community, as opposed to ‘for.’ Through this approach, everyone has a fingerprint in the work.”—Nick Adam, associate partner and design director, Span
Communication Arts
Communication Arts Profiles Span’s Exhibition Design for ReFramed at the Chicago Architecture Center by Bud Rodecker | 23 June 2023
Communication Arts profiles Span’s exhibition graphics for ReFramed: The Future of Cities in Wood at the Chicago Architecture Center, created with UrbanLab Architects. Led by Bud Rodecker, Span translated cross-laminated timber grid to organize 18-foot banners, maps, infographics, and dense research on mass timber’s potential as a sustainable building material.
“Our team was involved early on with the Chicago Architecture Center and UrbanLab Architects in defining what the visual approach for the exhibition would be”—Bud Rodecker, founder and design director, Span
Design Week
Design Week Profiles Span’s Exhibition Design for ReCovered and ReFramed by Abbey Bamford | 16 May 2023
Design Week profiles Span’s exhibition design for ReCovered: Chicago’s Urban Tree Canopy and ReFramed: The Future of Cities in Wood at the Chicago Architecture Center. Working with Ross Barney Architects and UrbanLab Architects, Span created wall-scale illustrations, timber-inspired grids, infographics, maps, and accessible typography that make complex environmental and architectural research understandable at different levels of engagement.
“The design of both exhibitions considers how visitors can interact with and digest the content at the pace or level of detail they prefer.”—Bud Rodecker, partner and design director, Span
WIRED Examines Span’s Systemic Rebrand of Invasive Carp as Copi
WIRED Examines Span’s Systemic Rebrand of Invasive Carp as Copi by Kate Knibbs | 15 March 2023
WIRED examines Span’s work for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources transforming invasive carp into Copi, from the new name and identity to the relationships needed to make the fish viable as food. Interviews with Nick Adam and Bud Rodecker show Span connecting chefs, fishers, processors, and distributors to build demand and support Great Lakes conservation.
“They also focused on building relationships with all the people and companies they’d need in order to get the fish served on a commercial scale.”—Kate Knibbs, WIRED
Merriam-Webster
Merriam-Webster Adds Copi, the Name Created by Span, to the Dictionary | 7 March 2023
Merriam-Webster has added copi to its dictionary, defining the name developed by Span for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources through a naming process led by associate partner and design director Nick Adam. Derived from copious, the entry records its first known use in 2022, marking the name’s movement from brand strategy into public language.
Communication Arts
Communication Arts Selects Span’s Website for MAS Context as a Webpick by Communication Arts Editorial Team | 18 January 2023
Communication Arts selects Span’s website and identity for MAS Context as a Webpick. Led by John Pobojewski, the De Stijl––inspired mark, flexible typography, long-form reading system, and responsive Craft CMS platform help MAS Context reach an international audience across essays, interviews, journals, and events.
“The biggest lessons we learned were creating a strong reading experience for long-form content such as articles and observations.”—John Pobojewski, partner and design director, Span
Communication Arts
Communication Arts Profiles Span’s Motion Design for SOM’s Urban Sequoia NOW by John Pobojewski, partner and design director at Span | 18 January 2023
Communication Arts profiles Span’s 3-D motion graphics film for SOM’s Urban Sequoia NOW, created for a global audience of climate and architecture leaders. John Pobojewski with Zach Minnich turned a complex carbon-capturing building strategy into a clear narrative through architectural visualization, animation, sound, and motion graphics.
“We led the development of the story, 3-D animation and motion graphics.”
—John Pobojewski, partner and design director, Span.
Communication Arts
Communication Arts Selects Span’s Copi Identity and Campaign for Its 2023 Typography Annual by Communication Arts Editorial Staff | 3 January 2023
Communication Arts selected Span’s naming, identity, and campaign for Copi for its 2023 Typography Annual. Led by Nick Adam and Bud Rodecker, the system replaced a racialized name, built trust across the food industry, and helped create consumer demand tied to Great Lakes conservation.
“Before launch, by utilizing the name and design system, the sales team secured seven well-respected distributors.”—Nick Adam, associate partner and design director, Span
Design Indaba
Design Indaba Features Span’s Motion Film for SOM’s Urban Sequoia NOW by Design Indaba Editorial Staff | 21 November 2022
Design Indaba features Span’s 3D animation and motion film for SOM’s Urban Sequoia NOW, premiered for international delegates at COP27. Span led the story, architectural diagrams, animation, and motion graphics, making SOM’s carbon-absorbing building research clear to a broad global audience.
“The studio led the development of the story, 3D animation, architectural diagrams, and motion graphics.”—Design Indaba
Brand New
Brand New Spots Span’s New Logo for MAS Context by Armin Vit | 18 October 2022
Brand New spotlights Span’s new identity for MAS Context, a leading platform for architecture, design, and urbanism. Developed alongside a new editorial website and digital archive, the modular mark draws from experimental publishing and De Stijl typography to express the organization’s evolving cultural program.
AIGA Eye on Design
AIGA Eye on Design Examines the Ethics of Span’s Copi Rebrand by John Kazior | 6 October 2022
AIGA Eye on Design uses Span’s Copi rebrand to examine the ethics of turning an invasive species into a marketable food. John Kazior recognizes Span as the first professional design agency engaged for such an effort, while questioning whether consumer demand can address the deeper forces behind the ecological crisis.
“Approaching Span studio for the rebrand marks the first time a professional design agency has been approached for the task.”—John Kazior, AIGA Eye on Design
Creative Boom
Creative Boom Interviews Span’s Nick Adam on Turning Invasive Carp into Copi by Tom May | 4 October 2022
Creative Boom interviews Span’s Nick Adam about transforming invasive carp into Copi for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Span expanded a logo brief into research, naming, identity, website, toolkit, and launch strategy; within two months, Copi reached eight states and exceeded its projected first-year numbers.
“The Copi project is a fantastic example of design innovation that is able to yield large-scale social impact.”—Nick Adam, associate partner and design director, Span
Communication Arts
Communication Arts Profiles Span’s Naming, Identity, and Market-Building Strategy for Copi by Nick Adam | 7 September 2022
Communication Arts profiles Span’s transformation of invasive carp into Copi for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Nick Adam explains how naming, identity, packaging, website, and industry outreach built trust before launch, securing seven distributors and helping restaurants sell out after release.
“By renaming and designing a strategic, comprehensive identity system, our work helps change the public perception of the fish now formerly known as ‘Asian carp.”—Nick Adam, Associate Partner & Design Director, Span
Underscore, Chicago Graphic Design Club
Chicago Graphic Design Club Profiles Span’s Nick Adam by Christian Solorzano | 5 September 2022
Chicago Graphic Design Club’s profiles Span’s Nick Adam through an extended Underscore interview on his upbringing, early influences and approach to design. The conversation traces two decades of work across Chicago and Adam’s belief in graphic design as a way to connecting people, culture and public life.
“In Chicago’s world of design, Nick Adam is a household name.”— Christian Solorzano, The Chicago Graphic Design Club
Inside Edition
Inside Edition Introduces Span’s Copi Rebrand to a National Audience by Inside Edition Editorial Team | 30 August 2022
Inside Edition introduces Copi, the new name and identity developed by Span for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, to a national audience. The broadcast connects the rebrand to a larger effort to increase consumption of invasive carp, support native fish populations, and protect threatened waterways.
“It’s copious, essentially, which is what these fish are—they’re all over the place, so it’s a nice little play on words.”—Brian Schoenung, Illinois Department of Natural Resources
MediaPost — Marketing Daily
MediaPost Interviews Span’s Nick Adam on Building the Market for Copi by Sarah Mahoney | 10 August 2022
MediaPost’s Marketing Daily interviews Span’s Nick Adam about expanding a logo brief into Copi, a new name, identity, website and market-building system for invasive carp. By connecting fishers, processors, distributors, retailers, and restaurants, Span built industry trust and onboarded seven distributors within three months.
“Through design process, we were able to create a name, a logo and an identity system—but also a system that builds trust within the food hub.”—Nick Adam, design director, Span
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/whats-name-illinois-hopes-make-invasive-carp-fish-more-palatable-2022-08-10/
Reuters Reports on Illinois’s Launch of Copi, with Naming and Identity by Span by Reuters Editorial Team | 10 August 2022
Reuters reports on Illinois’s launch of Copi, the new name, identity, and website developed by Span to make invasive carp more appealing to consumers while helping protect local waterways. The story focuses on the power of naming, the Choose Copi website, and efforts to build demand through restaurants, retailers, and public education.
“We’ve launched a new name, ‘Copi,’ to help people consume this delicious fish and help us do our work in keeping them out of the waterways.”—Kevin Irons, assistant chief of fisheries, Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Print Magazine
PRINT Interviews Span’s Nick Adam on Designing Copi by Steven Heller | 19 July 2022
PRINT’s Steven Heller interviews Span’s Nick Adam about Copi, the new name and identity created to transform public perception of invasive carp. Nick Adam traces how Span reframed a logo brief into a systemic effort spanning research, naming, strategy, visual identity, industry adoption, and a public campaign.
“At Span we led the effort, created the new name, and designed a comprehensive visual identity system.”—Nick Adam, Associate Partner & Design Director, Span
The Economist Examines Span’s Rebrand of Invasive Carp as Copi
The Economist Examines Span’s Rebrand of Invasive Carp as Copi by The Economist New York Editorial Team | 7 July 2022
The Economist examines Span’s transformation of invasive carp into Copi for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Citing Nick Adam, the article details Span’s naming, packaging, website, and marketing strategy, designed to build mainstream demand for the fish and support efforts to protect Midwestern waterways and the Great Lakes.
“Span, a design studio, rebranded the fish from top to tail: it crafted the name, packaging, website and marketing strategy.”—The Economist
Brand New, a division of UnderConsideration
Brand New Notes Span’s New Name and Identity for Copi by Armin Vit | 30 June 2022
Brand New features Span’s transformation of invasive carp into Copi for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. The concise name, fish-shaped wordmark, website, packaging, and campaign system turn a complex environmental threat into an approachable food brand designed to build consumer demand and help protect the Great Lakes.
Creative Review
Creative Review Profiles Span’s Rebrand of Invasive Carp as Copi by Emma Tucker | 30 June 2022
Creative Review profiles Span’s transformation of invasive Asian carp into Copi, a consumer brand created for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. The new name, fish-shaped wordmark, concept packaging, website and “Eat well, do good” message recast an ecological threat as an appealing food choice.
“The heaviness of the logo aligns with the physical qualities of these fish that can weigh over 100 pounds, reach five feet in length, and each lay over a million eggs per year.”—Nick Adam, associate partner and design director, Span
Fonts in Use
Fonts In Use Documents Span’s Open-Source Typographic System for Copi by Nick Adam | 29 June 2022
Fonts In Use documents Span’s typographic system for Copi, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources campaign that renamed invasive carp as a desirable food source. The custom logotype and Goggle Fonts open-source Gelasio, DM Sans, and DM Mono balance storytelling, advocacy, and scientific information while remaining accessible to restaurants, markets, and government partners.
Smithsonian Magazine
Smithsonian Magazine Examines Span’s Naming and Identity for Copi by Sarah Kuta | 28 June 2022
Smithsonian Magazine examines Span’s transformation of invasive carp into Copi for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Derived from “copious,” the new name, identity, and website recast an ecological threat as a healthy, marketable food source that could build demand while helping protect Midwestern waterways and the Great Lakes.
“Copi is a great name: Short, crisp and easy to say.”—Colleen Callahan, director, Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Design Week
Design Week Examines Span’s Transformation of Invasive Carp into Copi by Abbey Bamford | 27 June 2022
Design Week examines Span’s transformation of invasive carp into Copi for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Led by Nick Adam, Span expanded a logo brief into naming, research, identity, website, packaging, voice, and an open-source toolkit designed to build demand across distributors, markets, and restaurants.
“We had to convince the client that what was needed was not a logo but a name, and then an entire story to help people understand why they should eat this fish.”—Nick Adam, design principal and project leader, Span
Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Illinois Department of Natural Resources Launches Copi, Named and Designed by Span | 22 June 2022
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources announces Copi, the name, identity, and website developed by Span to reposition invasive carp as a desirable food source. The launch began with commitments from 21 chefs and retailers and 14 processors, manufacturers, and distributors, building a market intended to protect native fish populations and the Great Lakes.
“So there is one thing that everyone can do to help save the Great Lakes: Call the fish Copi.”—Kevin Irons, assistant fisheries chief, Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Ad Age
Ad Age Examines Span’s Naming and Identity for Copi by Corli Jay | 22 June 2022
Ad Age examines Span’s transformation of invasive carp into Copi, developed with Tetra Tech, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, and Southern Illinois University. The new name, identity, and website turn an ecological threat into an appealing food choice, building consumer demand while supporting Midwestern waterways and the Great Lakes.
“Copi is a great name. Short, crisp and easy to say. What diner won’t be intrigued when they read Copi tacos or Copi burgers on a menu?”—Colleen Callahan, director, Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Newcity Design 50 Recognizes Span’s John Pobojewski and Bud Rodecker
Newcity Design 50 Recognizes Span’s John Pobojewski and Bud Rodecker by Vasia Rigou | 7 March 2022
Newcity’s Design’s 2022 Design 50 names co-founders John Pobojewski and Bud Rodecker among the people shaping Chicago graphic design and branding. The profile highlights Span’s collaborative model, expressive range, and commitment to equity, social justice, environmental stewardship, and fearless creativity.
“We want Span to be a demonstration of how a small creative design practice can have tremendous impact.” —John Pobojewski and Bud Rodecker, co-founders and design directors, Span
AIGA Eye on Design
AIGA Eye on Design Features Span’s Nkemdiche Among Six Award-Winning Book Covers by Jarrett Fuller | 21 June 2021
AIGA Eye on Design profiles Nkemdiche among six winners from its 50 Books | 50 Covers competition. Working with author and Ọkpara House founder Obiora Nwazota and illustrator Lucie Van der Elst, Span’s Nick Adam and Bud Rodecker centered Igbo cultural accuracy, pairing Kigelia and Minerale typography with an illustration that makes Nkemdiche’s magnificent beard the focus.
“Our first question was what is an appropriate type specification that is as connected to the Igbo culture as Lucie’s beautiful illustrations were.”—Bud Rodecker, partner and design director, Span