marquardt + gridwerk

Happy Veteran’s Day

By: m+gwa

Nov 11 2011

In honor of the veterans, who have provided the freedoms I now enjoy:

My late father, Walter Leslie Marquardt, enlisted in the US Army on October 15th, 1940 and became an artillery director for the 8th Armored Division (The Thundering Herd), starting in England, and landing 1 mile behind the first invasion forces of the Battle of the Bulge, directing the heavy artillery over them ahead to provide cover as they moved across France, ending up in Germany in 1945.

He was immediately sent for flight training after the war ended in Europe, to proceed to the Pacific, but never went as the war ended with Japan before he finished.

He completed his flight training on his own after the war, and though a production engineer at Eaton (Cutler Hammer) until his death, was also a licensed pilot for fun.

That was my Dad…What a guy!

Greencorps Chicago Collateral

By: m+gwa

Nov 10 2011

communication design, our work, print

OAI, Inc retained marquardt+ (work performed as Design Collaboratives) to provide strategy consultation and collateral materials design and development for the City of Chicago Department of Environment program, Greencorps Chicago. We worked closely with their team to develop print materials that would stand out in the sea of brochures. Special thanks to Mandy Toothaker and Lauren Haras for their talent and creativity. Our Alderman loves them!

See the rest at our website.

Stitch!

By: m+gwa

Nov 01 2011

our work, things and stuff

We were happy to be approached by Carnegie to work together on a garment for IIDA’s annual Stitch charity fashion show event. This year’s theme was to base a dress off of a local building or designer’s work. We chose to highlight the Toy Store that we are designing in collaboration with our sister firm, Gridwerk Architecture.

Working with our friend Jaysen Goranson, we achieved what we felt was a fantastic dress that, while high art, was still wearable. Check out some of the process images, along with candid shots from the night!

See the rest at our website.

Also be sure to check out the interview at Design Bureau Magazine with Gretchen from our office and our model Michelle Kraker.

Porter Airlines

By: m+gwa

Oct 12 2011

brand strategy

Porter Airlines is an amazing example of company branding. Flying out of Toronto’s downtown airport directly to eastern seaboard Canadian and US cities, it was a brilliant experience for my round trip to Toronto last week. From interiors to print to fashion to food packaging, everything is meticulously thought out and coordinated.

Check out this interview with a communication designer who worked on the project, Neal Whittington.

Tom Marquardt, SBID!

By: m+gwa

Oct 10 2011

things and stuff

I have my first acronym! I have applied for and have been accepted to the Society of British Interior Design (SBID). Thank you Vanessa Brady, for facilitating this. What a privilege. See more at www.sbid.org

Fortunately Marquardt Design Collaboratives, a former version of marquardt+, maintained a studio practice in London for 9 years, headed by the formidable Andrea Brown, so I do not feel completely guilty for being brought in to the fold…

Romana Mirza is our Branded Environments class client!

By: m+gwa

Sep 19 2011

brand strategy, things and stuff

Our friend and Colleague Romana Mirza is my studio lab client this semester for Branded Environments at Harrington. While here, she will give a lecture/presentation at Harrington on Brand Strategy!

Let me know if you are going to attend, and I will arrange entry!