Otherwise

This project was started with the goal of defining a visual identity for an AI tinkering lab. The brand couldn’t feel like “design for design’s sake.” It needed to feel like code. Like logic. Like something they could’ve made themselves.

SCOPE

Brand Design

TOOLS

My Approach

1. Created a brand noun list with the client: every object, idea, or metaphor that felt close to their ethos.

2. Explored rough sketches based on that list, focusing on vibe before polish.

3. Shared a final mark in grayscale (no color, no noise) to validate structure and logic.

4. Built out a full system with mark, color, and type once the core mark passed the test.

Explorations

The initial brand noun list when working with the client had words like AI, Sparkle, Community, Computer, Bug, Brain, Chip, Typewriter, Scroll, Bubble, Window, Keyboard, Infinity, Facial Expression, ASCII. From there, I had a few sketch explorations for what I thought could be interesting.

Outcome

The final brand system for Otherwise was generative. Not a logo, but a living identity. I used Conway’s Game of Life to build a mark that evolved based on simple logic. The visuals broke most traditional branding rules. No static grid. No soft storytelling. Just a set of rules and infinite outputs. It felt like code. It looked like chaos. The clients were all in.

COLLEAGUES

Thomas Stahura, Tinkerer
Sahil Lalani, Tinkerer
Jack Blair, Tinkerer

Timeline

1 Month