The Abu Dhabi Ability Center for Special Needs gives the chance to learn and a sense of community to about thirty children with special needs and their families - an important and pioneering initiative in a nation that passed its first law protecting the rights of people with special needs less than a decade ago. A fundamental problem for schools like this in the region involves awareness. Without a website or a cohesive brand presence, the Ability Center is close to impossible to find for both supporters and potential clients.
This is where I will step in to help. As a visual arts student learning and practicing graphic design, visual identity development is theoretically and practically something I love to do. A brand adds value, cohesiveness, and a sense of purpose to any institution, but especially to one like this: having a thoughtful, clear identity will reflect the professionalism and vision of the Center in a way that makes it accessible and appealing. By working directly with the staff, students, and other involved parties, I will help the people of the Center itself have a clearer vision of their school, be able to articulate it in a visual identity, and take pride in being a part of it.
These collateral will assist the Ability Center in its advertising and outreach to potential students and their families, as well as making fundraising efforts more visible and directed. A brand already exists in the sum of experiences that people have with the Center; my job as designer will be to define the best aspects of that, understand its context in the United Arab Emirates and the global community, and visually communicate the it to a wider audience in a way that helps the Center define and market itself.
This blog acts as an archive for links, inspiration, thoughts, and stories as I go though this project.
