Designs with Global Perspectives: Lagos Coworking Conference 2017

The Coworking Conference hosted a number of global partners and key thought leaders from across the continent to discuss the future of collaboration and remote work. Hosted by the Venia Business Hub in Lagos, Nigeria, the target audience was beyond borders and the need to give the event a vibrant representation that reflected the quality of work often resultant of creative collaboration was a conscious responsibility.

The Coworking Conference is a global event that holds in major cities all over the world from London, Dublin and New York to Cape Town, Penang and Melbourne. The ship docked in Nigeria for the first time and Lagos had a responsibility to communicate with a language (this time, visual) of excellence that would be expected of that class of an event.

“The opportunities that lie in the value-chain of Coworking in Nigeria as a nascent industry is unprecedented. This conference presents the right avenue for players, investors, entrepreneurs and other stakeholders to explore the endless possibilities of the sector”. – Kola Oyeneyin, Convener, CWC

FourthCanvas design agency came into the picture, in line with the agency’s global mission to create deep and lasting experiences with brand identity and visual communication. It was their responsibility to do the visual communication magic. Having worked with Venia Group, the parent company handling the conference on a number of projects from other events to business brand identities, the agency exploited its  ‘built-in’ understanding of their brand perspective, expectations and most importantly,  the audience.

In a chat with the agency’s Art Director, Victor Fatanmi explains that FourthCanvas set out to create something that transcended borders and connects with the global culture of work collaboration. According to him, the key theme was a future of collaboration that is strong together, open, balanced, and promising for ideas.

The journey towards having an excellent visual communication started several months to the event.

“ The team rolled out the central element of what was to be an extensive visual theme – the logo design. The goal was that of something which told a story about collaboration while staying as minimal as possible.” – Victor Fatanmi

Thursday, 27 July 2017 came but has not left. Driving home thoughts and memories from what was a great event of thoughts and ideas, was an identity that impressed participants and the organizers themselves, while also creating  a domain for the event’s brand.

From the quality of work observed, It is obvious that the excellence of the visual communication is beyond this year as it goes further to represent what the event stands for, the herald of it in the years to come and its effect on its organizers as well. The logo of the Coworking Conference successfully created lasting impressions.

A guest at the event and one of Nigeria’s top brand thought-leaders, Chuks Ogene (Mr Sunesis) also shared his thought on the beauty of the logo:

“When I saw the Coworking Conference logo, I was like – this has to be one of the best Nigerian logo designs ever”

Speakers at the event which held at the IMAX Filmhouse, Lekki, Lagos include Kola Aina – Founder Ventures Park; RedMedia Africa Cofounders, Adebola Williams and Chude Jideonwo; Leanne Beesley – Cofounder Coworker.com; Executive Secretary of Lagos State Employment Trust Fund, Akin Oyebode; amongst others.

It is interesting to also note that  FourthCanvas also designed the communication materials for the New Media Conference 2017 by OloriSupergal.com which held on the same day.

In terms of portfolio, the agency has worked on  a list of projects which include: The Future Awards (every year since 2014), the Lagos Business School Africa Business Conference 2016 & 2017, RCCG Excel INVASION 2017, the RED Summit 2015, Eloy Awards,The Nigerian Youth Symposium, a number of Rele Gallery Art Exhibitions, African Mega Concert 2017 (Italy), RCCG Festival of Praise New York and a number of others. This is apart from our numerous projects on company identities.

Meanwhile, fresh from branding two of the biggest events happening on the same day in the city of Lagos, FourthCanvas is also responsible for branding the upcoming TEDxYaba, Invisible Borders Trans-Continental Trip and a number of other events.

What is the next event on your calendar? Ask. FourthCanvas probably created the designs. Especially if the IV looks good.