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OUR VISION: IDENTITY THROUGH DESIGN

Klint & Co designs visual branding for companies and organizations based on the Klint design tradition

Four generations of the Klint family have left their distinctive mark on Danish architecture and design - in short, "Danish Design"

Four generations of the Klint family have left their distinctive mark on Danish architecture and design - in short, "Danish Design"

 

We believe that good designs and clear identities add value, differentiate, and are the foundation of good market recognition and lasting customer relationships.

At Klint & Co we offer visual branding and interactive visual communication based on the special Klint design tradition. We focus on creating sustainable graphic elements and compounds that translate company, organization, and product "spirits" into visually unique, trend-stable, and durable identity designs.

Our clients are private and public companies and organizations, both large and small. Regardless of whether we design a complete corporate visual branding or simply help with a single task, our starting point is always the same, so a solution from Klint & Co comes out as functional, aesthetic and effective.

Klint & Co solutions are always strategically founded on our client's market strategies and market position and carried out in close co-operation with the client.

Our work includes:
Re-positioning with a new identity, modernization of an existing identity, development of brand systems, implementation of visual brand management, development of entirely new identities, design of new logo/identity, modernization of current logo/identity, add campaigns, sign systems, brochures/catalogues, exhibitions materiel and packaging and all kinds of on-line elements.

 

 

 

OUR HISTORY

Passion for the particular combination of function, form, and detail - the essence of Danish Design

 
 

Four generations of the Klint-family have left their distinctive marks on Danish architecture and design. It is the start and continuation of what we now refer to as "Danish Design".

Each in his own way, each with his ideals, each with respect of his time - but with a shared belief that the central point has always been to meet the set needs with the strongest possible form.

Not design for design's sake, but design based on a defined function. Function before form. Design as a form of the function.

The Klint-name is therefore to be found behind some of the most innovative buildings and designs, and common to them all is - and has always been - a love for the particular combination of function, form, etail and production. This is a cornerstone of the modern Danish design tradition.

 

 

1. GENERATION

Peder Vilhelm Jensen-Klint, 1853 - 1930, architect, engineer, and painter

 
 

P. V. Jensen-Klint is one of the 20th century's most influential Danish architects. He was the founder of the "Klint-school" and worked primarily in architecture with a basis in both craft and the Danish building tradition. He spearheaded a sophisticated and unique Danish brick-architecture clearly seen in the Grundtvig's Church, but also his work within the "Better Building Practices" Association was groundbreaking.

He made other significant works that are less grandiose and distinctive in the cityscape, but no less important: Anna Church in Copenhagen, Peace Church in Odense, and Vodskov Church in northern Jutland. Not to be forgotten, the small oval trolley waiting hall located at the Triangle in central Copenhagen - called "The Tureen" for obvious reasons if one knows the shape of a tureen-lid. Unasuming (approx. 130 m2) and weighed down by large advertising, the brick house with its strange fable monsters rooftop, lies in the middle of the square.

Jensen-Klint worked in a turbulent time between the 19th century, with its history-laden architectural view, and the modern style and breakthroughs. He also worked with art, furniture, and graphics. The major importance, however, was in Danish architecture.

His works as well as his status as a source of inspiration and his role as a debater, propagandist, and leader in Danish architectural, artistic, and cultural life. One of his favourite themes was to "emphasize things, surfaces, and fabrics according to their nature and future requirements".

His undisputed masterpiece is Grundtvig's Church at Bispebjerg in Copenhagen, along with the surrounding square of the large brick houses "På Bjerget" - forms an impressive masterpiece. After P.V. Jensen Klint's death, work was completed by his son, architect Kaare Klint.

 

 

2. GENERATION

Kaare Klint, 1888 - 1954, architect and designer

 
 

Kaare Klint, son of P.V. Jensen-Klint, ran a modest studio with a few employees. He was, nevertheless, the true creator of the concept "Danish Design". It was he who brought it to life through targeted studies of needs and functions as a basis for designing with respect to detail.

Klint was offered a very wide spectrum of assignments. Some, he received with distress, others with honour, but they were all handled with respect from postage stamps to the Royal Sarcophagus in Roskilde Cathedral to promotional items, buildings, and, notably of course, his trend setting furniture and lamps that are still in production and still cherished.

In 1924 the Academy of Fine Arts established the department of Interior and Furniture Design where Kaare Klint was first a teacher, then the professor.

Klint now built a teaching and working methodology later labelled "the Klint-school". The essential points are defined by Klint as measurements as a pre-study for later processing, human measurements and movements, product measurements and constructive details related to its use, methods for connections, texture, aesthetic considerations and overall design. In collaboration with his students, Klint conducted a number of research studies that later became the norm of the profession.

Kaare Klint was one of the 20th century's most significant Danish architects. Through his work he has shown solutions that his contemporaries often criticized, but which later architects came to learn from and adopt. He truly was trailblazing.

 

 

3. GENERATION

Naur Klint, 1920 - 1978, architect and designer

 
 

Naur Klint, son of Kaare Klint, also worked both as a building architect and designer, but his main effort lies within graphic design.

Naur Klint worked for several years at his father's studio before he started as an independent in collaboration with engineer Ingvard Christensen. They worked for Teglværkernes Centralorganisation (central organisation of brick producers) among others and did research in the scheduling of building processes. Their cooperation also resulted in office buildings, but two single-family homes in Hvidegårdsparken (31 and 33) in Kgs. Lyngby north of Copenhagen should be noted.

Naur Klint also worked as a stage architect - what we today call a production designer - on two films. But gradually his studio became more and more specialized in graphic design. Not graphic design in the sense of advertising, but as a means of communications, be it in public way finding - Naur Klint called this signage - as the modernization of graphical components - for example Carlsberg as a logo, crown and clover.

When the School of Architecture created the Department of Graphic Design, Naur Klint was appointed professor and served as such not only as a teacher and initiator, but also as a graphic consultant to several state institutions, including Denmark's National Bank.

Naur Klint set new standards for type design both as a teacher and in practice. Best known is the typeface "Flexibility" which was continuously developed from the early 1960s.

The typeface was designed in different variations for both signage and engraving. Klint's entire graphical expertise was deployed in the design of the Danish number plates, both to ensure a very high legibility, and simultaneously to create a national identity which is still unique today. It is easy to recognize the now outgoing Danish number plate, although it contains only a few characters.

 

 

4. GENERATION

Lars Klint, 1947 -, architect and designer

 
 

Lars Klint, son of Naur Klint, over the years has also worked both as a building architect and a designer. As with his father, his primary efforts are within graphic design.

Through his lectureship at the Academy of Fine Arts, Lars has helped to convey the special Klint design tradition to a whole new generation of architects and designers.

Like his father and grandfather, Lars Klint also worked for a number of years on his father's studio until his father's death.

The objective of Klint & Co is to continue the line in the Klint tradition from these basic values: "emphasize things, surfaces, and fabrics, according to their nature and future requirements". And, as in the previous generations, with respect for future opportunities and requirements. The conviction is that the values which have characterized a Klint design are both timeless and universal. They contain clear messages about functional form and simplicity.

Maybe especially today, with the massive volume of communications pumping out, they have an important mission of preserving what we all refer to as "Danish Design".

 

 

 

OUR VALUES

A Klint & Co design is based on:

FUNCTIONAL QUALITY

For us, functional quality means that the graphic design must support the client's identity. The design becomes part of an overall strategic perspective and creates cohesion between all platforms, online as well as offline. This makes the client's communication easier both internally and externally, thus saving resources.

1. The visual identity connects all platforms on the screen as well as in print

2. A number of communicative routines are simplified both internally and externally with resource savings as a result

3. The identity creating dimensions are supported by the graphic design through the deployment of the design into an overall strategic perspective

 

 

AESTHETIC DESIGN

For us, aesthetic design means that our design is beautiful, simple, eye-catching, and is based on the unique Danish design tradition. We have a deep understanding of, and respect for, graphic assumptions and "doctrines" and we are aware of the importance of thorough preparation. Our designs must have a high quality craftsmanship and graphically execute the client's identity to perfection.

We are only satisfied if our designs are unique and positively distinguish themselves from the crowd, so they are remembered, while they support our client's identity and position.

1. Beautiful, simple, and striking design based on the unique Danish design tradition

2. Design uniqueness so the design stands out and is easy to remember - and strengthens the identity and position

3. High quality craftsmanship and competence based on a deep understanding of the graphic assumptions and "doctrines" and a thorough design process (we possess the ability to execute the graphical intention to perfection)

 

 

RELEVANCE

For us, relevance means that it does not matter how unique a design is, if it does not also have a clear association with the client's soul and business and in an appropriate and relevant way tells a good story about the client.

1. The visual expression has a clear association with the client's soul (and business) - the essence - so the story is told in a succinct, relevant way

2. The visual design stands out with clear links to products and market position

3. Without relevance even the most unique design makes no sense

 

 

DURABILITY

For us, durability means that we - based on four generations of experience and accomplishments - will find the way to the core and design it so well that the design will last, but still can be updated simultaneously, so it stays with the times. Durable designs should be trend-stable and not merely dictated by short-term trends, but rather based on strategies that allow for the constant accommodation of the" trend-of-the-time" without jeopardizing the long-term identity.

1. Find the essence and shape it so well that it lasts - based on the classic Danish design tradition!

2. Create trend-stable designs (unless the trend is paramount), but also ensure the possibility for evolution over time (moving with the time) through updates of the design

3. Through a high quality consistency, we secure the design investment - we have four generations of champions behind us

 

 

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

For us, effective communication means that a graphic design must be practical and usable on all platforms - both on screen and print - where it should facilitate internal and external communication in an efficient and effective manner. It must be measurable that the client company (corporate identity) and individual products are given an effective platform for all communications through the design.

1. The design must communicate what it has been developed for in a measurable way - good return on marketing investment

2. The design creates an effective platform for corporate communications - from corporate identity level to product level (relationship aspect - the visual expression)

3. The design is user-friendly on all platforms, and communications routines are facilitated and simplified both internally and externally with resource savings as a result

 

 

 

OUR METHOD

Projects typically undergo three main stages:

INFORMATION GATHERING AND ANALYSIS

The initial information gathering involving all relevant areas within the organization both internally and externally in terms of market and competitor conditions. This is crucial for the further design process and ensures that the end result is right on target.

The functional analysis is the basis for both the overall design strategy and the underlying tactics and is a core point in all our architectural and identity enhancing design projects. Information collection and analysis are carried out in close cooperation with the client.

 

 

DESIGNING

Outlining and designing the identity creatively is obviously the most time consuming part of the overall process. This is where creativity and the development of ideas are paramount. It is also here that the initial procedures are crystallized into a distinctive identity design that lasts!

The work includes everything from sketching to prepress and programming of interactive elements. We also engage in testing procedures to ensure that the solution has maximum impact.

 

 

IMPLEMENTATION AND FOLLOW-UP

We ensure that all design elements are implemented properly and user-friendly throughout the organization. We emphasize this to ensure that the identity design has maximum impact within the organization and externally in the market.

All our solutions are delivered with clear documentation, and we have follow-up practices that are our client's assurance that the identity design remains on track and does not gradually deteriorate over time.