The 2018–2019 ASU Library New Year card honored inclusion and diversity with an elegant, cosmic design inspired by Stephen Hawking’s perspective on humanity. The goal was to create a standout holiday card in a sea of generic university mailings, while aligning with ASU’s values of inclusion, diversity, and intellectual curiosity. The greatest challenge in the project was the 6 week turnaround from concept to the time we had to send to print.
A layered, laser-cut design was developed, featuring intricate natural and cosmic patterns. The central motif, a wormhole, provided a visual and conceptual window into other perspectives. Copper foil was used to reference Arizona’s mining heritage and add an elegant tactile finish. Hawking’s quote, “There is no such thing as a standard human being, but we share the same human spirit,” grounded the piece in humanistic thought.
The design concept emphasized variety and interconnectedness, reflecting the library’s role as a communal intellectual space.
The card was widely applauded within the university, catching the attention of senior administrators including the Dean of Design and the Arts, who shared it with artist James Turrell. It was recognized as a standout piece among university holiday mailings.
The card was widely applauded within the university, catching the attention of senior administrators including the Dean of Design and the Arts, who shared it with artist James Turrell. It was recognized as a standout piece among university holiday mailings.
The card's 'wormhole' provides a viewing portal through which the other card panels can be experienced differently.
In accordion-like fashion, the card is opened and revealed. The opening allows for an experience of unfolding, panel by panel, for each user–a slow, individual process of discovery.
The card's stunning display of diversity, a layered mélange of laser-cut designs, each different, illuminates what we as a public university and academic library hold as our most central value and greatest measure of success: inclusion.
Credits:
Creative Direction: Jennifer Duvernay
Art Direction: Amy Carolyn Watson
Graphic Design: Kelsey Hinesley
Content Curation: Britt Lewis
UX Consult: Jordyn Kush
Project Contributors: Patricia Odle, Kristen Johnson
Produced on CLASSIC® LINEN 100C (neenahpaper.com) in Patriot Blue, through O'Neil Printing, Phoenix, AZ.
Photo Credits: Janelle Hinesley and Kelsey Hinesley