Stamford, CT

TEDMED

TEDMED is the annual gathering of technological, educational, and creative leaders focusing on the future of health and medicine.

It’s an inspired and inspiring series of programs, talks, learning, interaction, music, laughs, and revelations.

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Over the course of nine years we’ve been a part of the communication team responsible for establishing the visual approach of each year’s gathering.

A centerpiece of the initiative is the program journal, a document featuring illustrations and biographies of each year’s speakers. The conceptual approach is carried out through the design of environmental graphics and signage.

Each year’s stage design incorporates the visual theme for that year’s event.

We commission an artist (in this case, Hanoch Piven) to create portraits of each year’s speakers.

For the "Unlocking Imagination" -themed year, we developed a visual approach that incorporated a series of dynamic squiggles.
As a part of the theme, we created a font (called "Bacterium") that has a series of alternate characters: It's always moving.
Words set in the Bacterium font — along with hidden illustrations — were embedded in the graphics.
The venues often change from year to year, so there are always new wayfinding challenges.
One year we used I.V. stands for the conference directional signs.

Designers
Alexander Isley
Christina Holland
Shannon Stolting

Collections
Special Collections Research Center
NC State University Libraries