Communication

Vocal Island

Extra Form
Country	China
Year	2024
Award	GOLD WINNER
Affiliation	Yale University
Designer	Chuye Chen
English	I designed a North American music festival's visual identity. Focused on type design, it portrays a mystical forest world where a musical tribe communicates. I crafted a phonetic decoding system inspired by tribal cultures, combining English and Chinese characters. The design also reflects jungle totem aesthetics. I then created readable Western fonts with these elements. Additionally, I designed a mask merging Eastern and Native American styles, symbolizing the festival's culture, emerging from the mystical forest with specific music.
Native	这是我为一个北美音乐节设计的一套视觉标识系统。这套标识系统以字体设计为重心。在视觉主题方面，我为这个音乐节虚构了一个雾中神秘森林的世界观，在这个迷雾森林中存在着一个通过音乐交流沟通的神秘部落，也就是这个音乐节的观众和音乐人们。音乐是由乐器和人声构成的，于是我创造了一套需要经过发音才能被破译的解码文字。我研究了世界各地的部落文化，语言系统不完善的部族会用不同的叫声来传达意图。我将此获得的思考应用于字体设计，结合英文单词发音音标和中文字中的笔画部首拆分，创造出一套双重编译，像游戏一样需要被破解的有趣文字密码系统。在字形设计上也在视觉上接近丛林部落的图腾文化。在这套解码字完成后，我以同样的视觉元素设计了一套可被直接阅读的西文字体。在视觉形象方面，我以这个主题设计了一个包含东方风格结合美洲部落文化的神秘面具，这个巨大的面具作为一个文化标识，通过特定的音乐召唤，在这个世界观下从迷雾森林中冉冉升起，浮现在音乐节的上空。
Positive Comments
Judging Comments	"Vocal Island" a concept design by Chuye Chen, was honored as a 'Gold Winner' at the Asia Design Prize 2024 for its unique visual identity of a North American music festival, blending type design with elements of a mystical musical tribe. The jury praised the innovative phonetic decoding system that merges English and Chinese characters, alongside the creation of a mask that synthesizes Eastern and Native American styles, showcasing a deep integration of cultural symbols and modern design.