The Edit: five projects including Compagnie et Cie’s vibrant identity for Théâtre de la Ville

Each and every day, we're lucky to discover dozens of interesting and inspiring projects from around the world. From global identities and campaigns to side projects and independently published books, The Edit is home to five of them; every two weeks. Located in the Canadian city of Longueuil, Théâtre de la Ville is distinguished by its commitment to diversity; presenting theatre from a wide range of disciplines regardless of their social or economic background. Compagnie et Cie, a design studio located nearby in Montreal, were asked to design the visual identity and campaign for the theatre’s 2021-22 season. The result is a flamboyant graphic language that revolves around an unexpected use of Metis Digital Type Foundry’s experimental typeface Dot19 as a background texture. “It is about its power of expression as much as its power of abstraction,” Art Director Hugo Cavaillès tells us, “just as art does.” Dot19’s flourishing forms also act as a framework for the rest of the identity, giving each show its own distinct personality. This concept is further intensified through the vibrant colour palette, which changes to match the mood of the performance in question. “With a programme as diverse as the Théâtre de la Ville, the palette needed to be able to match pretty much every style, tone and emotion represented on the stage each night,” Cavaillès concludes. The seventh ‘Extra Issue’ in the series, LogoArchive’s collaboration with New York-based publisher Standards Manual tells the story of the United States’ ‘Federal Design Improvement Program,’ with words from historian Bill Shaffer and two designers who participated directly in the programme themselves – Lance Wyman and Valerie Pettis. As well as the texts, its 21 pages are filled with 23 logos drawn from USIA and FDIP initiatives, such as the now-iconic NASA, EPA and Bicentennial logos, as well as a lesser-known collection kindly supported by Richard Danne, Tom Geismar and Aaron Draplin. Available in three different colours, the zine unites a diverse set of logos and places with a mesmerising moment in federal modernisation. Purchase