6 days ago
- The logo design emerged from studying the Ulm School of Design, focusing on technical and data-driven methods rather than pure aesthetics.
- The initial DS logo was abandoned because it lacked purpose, leading to a new mark inspired by mechanical camera repair and the visual language of service manuals.
- A personal connection to the surname Spina led to the concept of a spring pin (spina elastica), which became the basis for the logo: a coiled or slotted pin that holds by pushing outward, representing tolerance and function.
- The mark was generated as a mathematical function, allowing for testing and iteration across different sizes, with the final geometry chosen to avoid unintended imagery like Donald Duck.
- The logo switches from a coiled pin at larger sizes to a slotted pin at smaller sizes, mimicking real mechanical properties and ensuring readability from 24px down to 16px.
- Practical constraints from manufacturing tools (e.g., milling cutters) determined minimum sizes, but the design remained flexible across production methods.
- AI assisted in generating and checking geometry, but every key decision (such as the duck fix or the 'd' shape) was made by human eye and taste, not by measurement alone.
- The final logo is a simple, mute mark that works for a freelance developer today but could also represent a physical product in the future, reflecting the component's principle: it holds because it is not closed.