IDA and Pentagram recreate Pangaea
The International Design Alliance (IDA) has unveiled a new visual identity for its biennial IDA Congress, “the primary event for dialogue between designers and stakeholders of design in a summit format.”
“Designed and developed by Pentagram, the new look focuses on an artistic restructuring of Pangaea, a theory of Greek origin meaning “all lands” in support of the idea that at one time, all of the earth’s continents were once a single landmass. Pentagram’s solution for a permanent identity for the IDA Congress is a seemingly abstract shape that is ultimately composed of the silhouettes of all continents. At small scale, its shape is ambiguous. Enlarged, the geographic details come into view.”
Quoted from the ICSID website.
“Each Congress host, selected on a biennial basis, will be able to customise the identity within a system developed by Pentagram, showcasing the unique attributes and culture of the host city.”
And because you’ll obviously want to know, the single enormous ocean that surrounded Pangaea, Pangæa, or Pangea (from Ancient Greek pan ‘entire’, and Gaia ‘Earth’, Latinized as Gæa), was accordingly named Panthalassa (meaning ‘all sea’).
Pangaea image via Wikipedia
Note the speed at which India moved toward Asia around the 60 million years mark in this Pangaea animation (embedded above) — the counter in the lower-left signifies each million years in the past, counting toward the present. The collision formed (and continues to form) the Himalayas.
But it’s all hyperbole. The earth was actually created in the early hours of October 23rd, 4004 BC.
13 appreciated comments, click here to add one
Dave
love it
Feb 24th, 2012
Martín
As usual… the United States look bigger than they actually are…
Feb 24th, 2012
Natasha McEachron
Hi David!
I like the concept but the execution is a bit weird. Most people are used to the standard map so showing the continents fused together as Pangaea would have probably been abstract enough as it’s not something that we see very often. However, Pangaea plus random clustering of continents seems like a bit much. Granted, I’m a bit biased as I’m not big on abstract stuff.
Feb 25th, 2012
Alwyn Leedham
Hmmmmm, from a distance I would probably think it was just an ink splat or something. lol
Feb 26th, 2012
Tino Cordes
I agree with Natasha, good idea but it looks strange and clumsy.
Feb 26th, 2012
Rafael
South America and Africa are smaller than they actually are.
Feb 27th, 2012
Lana
At first glance I thought it was some sort of environmental, oil spill campaign.
Oopsy. My apologies.
Feb 29th, 2012
rek
Martin: And, as usual, Canada is virtually ignored. The most visually striking part of the continent – all those northern islands, Hudson Bay, and the east coast – buried Asia.
(Australia didn’t fare any better.)
It’s an interesting idea, but I don’t think it was done well.
Mar 2nd, 2012
Alex Christian
Spare a thought for New Zealand, rammed into Uruguay for some reason.
Mar 4th, 2012
Dan
Where is the design? The emotion? The flair? The practicality? The human element in all of this?
This isn’t design, it’s clip art.
Mar 12th, 2012
Derren Lee Poole
Anyone else see a Rorschach ink blot test? ;)
Like the idea though, but the abstract nature behind the concept will be lost on most people. Unless of course you’re into Greek mythology, geographical history or the music of Miles Davis :)
Mar 12th, 2012
Fabiano Bueno
Is it discrimination or lack of geological and geographical knopwledge? The most natural fit between the continents is that of South America and Africa. And it was simply ignored.
Apr 6th, 2012
Bas van der Horst
At least The Netherlands (and Western Europe) are clearly visible (which I like ;)). What is New Guinea doing above Norway / Sweden / Finland?
Jun 6th, 2012
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