Twelve years ago, Eco Awards and Gifts created an eco award design for the City of Burnaby. It was one of the first designs that Andrew Watson, founder and Creative Director, ever made - and we’re still crafting them annually for the City of Burnaby today. So how do you create a timeless design?
Creating a timeless award involves taking a host of factors into consideration. You need to contemplate what materials to use, how to fix them together and what shapes and sizes they’ll look best in. Added to the equation is a decision on colors, imagery and what (if any) additional design details to include for enhanced effect.
When we first designed the award, we didn’t know that it was going to stand the test of time — but there are a few key details we’ve picked out that can be attributed to its continued commission.
The decision to combine natural bamboo and 12mm solid surface without any visible fixings creates a clean and modern, yet classic aesthetic. The two materials compliment each other flawlessly and the wavy cuts assembled together in contrasting directions help the awards to stand out without appearing excessive or overly complex.
Not only does bamboo have a beautifully smooth and natural appearance but as a renewable and biodegradable material, it also has minimal environmental impact. Solid surface is environmentally friendly too — renewable and repairable, it’s built to last.
As creators of eco awards, integrating sustainable materials was an obvious and essential choice. Now, as public attitudes continue to develop in consideration of environmental impact, combining the two eco-friendly materials has proven to be another key design detail for the lasting effect of the awards.
Burnaby Board of Trade and the City of Burnaby commissioned the custom eco designs in collaboration to recognize business excellence in the City. The inclusion of subtle UV prints allowed us to clearly add necessary branding requirements without detracting from the overall appearance.
Over a decade later, we’re proud to have developed an award that is both sustainable and timeless. We’re delighted to still be working with the City of Burnaby and hope to continue to develop the awards long into the future.