Visual references for symbol designs - Kraftwerk
https://eyeondesign.aiga.org/the-mysterious-origin-story-of-kraftwerks-now-iconic-autobahn-motorway-icon/
Emil Schult was the designer behind the famous white on blue motorway lines featured on the iconic album cover for Kraftwerk's Autobahn. Kraftwerk are incredibly relevant to my project, as they influenced a lot of the sounds found in Berlin's early techno scene, as well as being from Germany too.
Schult was part of the Fluxus movement in Germany, being the star pupil of Joseph Beuys. The sounds of the album integrate car sounds such as horns and radio, which inspired the direction of the album cover; the design reflects the reclamation of the German identity post world war 2. According to Tim Barr, the concept appropriates autobahn as a 'symbol of modern Germany' and that 'Kraftwerk were voicing a current of feeling with a willingness to actively embrace the future'. This is very relevant to the concepts behind my techno tourist project, as I want to feature symbols that both celebrate the culture of Berlin's techno scene, whilst embracing the future of the introduction of tourism within the underground culture.
The cover also uses Futura as its typeface, a nod to the bands association with the Bauhaus movement. Many people believe that the designer behind the album cover was Barney Bubbles, but the true designer behind it is still unknown.
I wanted to visually reference this album cover as I feel like its very relevant to the direction of using symbols for my project; I want to create a series of symbols that relate to each aspect of Berlin's techno scene, as well as embodying the rules for techno tourists. I quite like the idea of using this colour palette as well, as its such an infamous design and would be linking the project back to the origins of techno in Germany.
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