Generative graphics and organic information design are making their way into the world of the applied arts: Last monday, I had the pleasure to attend Michael Schmitz‘ thesis presentation at the UDK digital media class. Mika has a history of meshing up biology and graphic design, for example breeding fonts in Genotyp. This time he took to the creation of dynamic logos and corporate identities, in this case the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG). They are very much concerned with how cells organize themselves to become tissue and other so-called emergent effects.

Looking for a suitable design solution, Mika soon learned about cellular automata, especially Conway’s famous Game of Life, subject of many art pieces. His software basically follows the same rules in creating a dynamic logo for MPI-CBG in time, but the parameters are coupled to certain factors: number of employees = density, funding = speed, number of publications = activity. Different logos are being “bred” and then picked by fitness in relation to the parameters or voted for by the employees. Thus, everytime the logo is displayed on a website as an animated icon or printed out on a letter, it reflects the current state of the lab as a living organism.

Related: C.STEM Conference.