A universal symbol for coworking

[Fernando Aguirre]

Hello. I'm thinking it would be interesting to be a universal symbol for coworking. So you can easily identify coworking spaces in general. As there is with pharmacies, schools, police, etc.

I believe a symbol can be useful to better spread the concept. As recently done with the Bug Heartbleed: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-28/the-branding-of-a-bug-how-heartbleed-became-a-household-name.html as well as the W3C made with HTML5.

The idea is a universal symbol, distributed free of copyright. In a quick study made a proposal. Is attached. Maybe some more talented designer can propose something better.

What do you think?

[Ramon Suarez]

Why W instead of C or CW?

Who will own the copyright of the symbol?

Who will have the right to use it?

[Coworking Merignac Bordeaux]

Well, i am agree with Ramon

Why W, 

it will be better to use CW 

Best regards

José Louis QUIROS 

http://youtu.be/w8L1t03Pvg0

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[Liane Jackson]

The Noun Project has a couple of coworking symbols that are free to use:

http://thenounproject.com/search/?q=coworking

There was another one cool one there that I don't see anymore, that I uploaded more than a year ago that has two people typing with a shelter over them.  You can take a look at it in my Dropbox link here:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/9mj618q5h35ci45/Coworking%20Symbol.pdf?dl=0

[rachel young]

For the record, this was accepted by some as the universal symbol for coworking: http://wiki.coworking.org/w/file/91218246/old%20coworking%20logo.jpg

And (apologies to its creator) it's terrible. It only shows coffee and wifi, which could be a cafe, a hotel lounge, or any other place that offers both. It doesn't say coworking at all, just two of the amenities of a space. Nothing about the core values, nothing about the people.

I like the idea of having something to unite us. It will be tough though. We don't all agree on the hyphen or the definition of coworking, so an image would be quite difficult too, I'm sure.

r.

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[Chad Ballantyne]

I’m with Rachel - no likey!

The universal symbol for coworking is not a logo, it’s a vibe.  Hard to draw a vibe.  It’s like trying to "smell the colour 9."

[Jerome Chang]

Accessibility isn't a logo, it's a condition or situation. It's also not relegated to a wheelchair. A logo really won't blind people much. 

Jerome

[Fernando Aguirre]

Guys, thanks for the feedback.

The first thing I think when creating this post is to discuss: We need a universal symbol? It is a good idea? Help the movement?

Second: It is impossible in one symbol represent all that means coworking. If we create one, we need to be selective. Other media help us other meanings.

Third: I am not a Brand Designer. I made an initial proposal to start it. Someone else can do better. But you can see how to build my idea in the attached file.

Responding to Ramon:

I believe that the symbol should not have an owner. It should be free. Distributed by a free license such as Creative Commons. Anyone can use anywhere.

[Anderson Costa]

I think i miss people in this icon. Just a feeling.

[Randall Arnold]

I like your ideas... and I'm inspired by this conversation to try my hand at it as well.

On January 13, 2015 at 10:05 AM Fernando Aguirre <fern...@fernandoaguirre.com.br> wrote:



On Monday, January 12, 2015 at 10:17:08 PM UTC, Fernando Aguirre wrote:

[Cadu de Castro Alves]

Anderson, I think "people" are already represented in the world symbol. Isn't it, Fernando?

I agree with the other folks about the "C" or "CW".

I think that a symbol showing people together would work very well, like this one:

http://logopond.com/gallery/detail/223294

Best regards,

Cadu de Castro Alves

CEO & Co-founder

www.deskovery.net

[M.E. Ralph]

Fernando,

What an awesome idea! So, who comes up with universal logos? Is it a government agency/department of some kind? If a designer created something like that, what would it take for everyone to adopt it or make it official? I think this is worth pursuing...

[Randall Arnold]

ANYone can come up with a logo proposal.  Adoption, though, is another matter entirely.  Commonly there's a legal entity (foundation, et al) that manages identity for something like this and its directors would determine a selection method.  I know there's advocacy groups for coworking but don't know offhand of a single umbrella org.  In that case, selection can get more organic... various participating entities would select the logo that appeals most to them and over time one may come to dominate.

If I've overlooked an existing umbrella org, mea culpa!

Randy

[Fernando Aguirre]

Yes Cadu and Anderson, people can be represented by globe. It is a very difficult to be created symbol. It should represent many things.

But I think also is not very "formal". I encourage other designers to try to create an option.

[Fernando Aguirre]

Randall and Ralph, really is a big challenge. As stated, have the idea is easy. People adopt is difficult. Therefore my main question is not whether the symbol is good or not. The main question is: We need a universal symbol?

From this response we can work forward.

I do not know if we have enough maturity to create a company or organization to manage the symbol. I think there may be something informal, to test whether people adopt. Who manages the symbols of WIFI or Wheelchair?

ᐧ

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Grande abraço,

Fernando Aguirre

www.fernandoaguirre.com.br
(51) 9440.9452

[Matija Raos]

Hi everybody,

It think universal symbol is a good idea and its great that Fernardo started this topic and proposed the solution but I also think it should be done via coworking wiki open call which everybody could distribute and call out designers to come up with creative solution. 

Then global coworking community could then vote on best symbol or shortlist it. Participation & community approach is important part of coworking so I think this process although it takes more effort will be more democratic & opened and also it will make some "new connections" and "global content" to share and to collaborate on.

Cheers from Zagreb,

Matija

 

 

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[Randall Arnold]

Ah, good question Fernando!  There's another alternative besides the one I mentioned in another email: getting just the logo (assuming a single one emerges) adopted by a graphics standards body such as ISO.

Here are some examples of symbol sets and the responsible ISO standard: http://www.iso.org/iso/home/store/graphical_symbols.htm

There's a submissions process that shouldn't be too difficult.  I have some experience here and will be glad to dig further.

Of course submitting anything requires adoption of a single logo beforehand ;)

Randy

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[Will Bennis, Locus Workspace]

Hi Folks,

This seems to be in part a re-hash of a very old (2007) discussion on this same group that might be worth looking at first:

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!searchin/coworking/coworking$20logo/coworking/Kx-PSRJV6P0/Adyc_cDUuW4J

I think it's a very useful earlier conversation for several reasons:

• It's actively constructed by some of the early and most important creators of the coworking movement
• It puts forth the starfish as a central image for coworking and explains why
• It puts forth a clear argument as to why some kind of symbol for a movement might be an important thing. 
• They created a logo page on the wiki as a workplace for people to try to create the ideal form, with many examples for people to contribute to: http://wiki.coworking.org/w/page/16583882/Logo

My sense is they were pretty far along in the conversation, so we'd do well to start there.

Best,

Will

[Fernando Aguirre]

Will, thanks for the reference. I think that helps a lot.

My opinion (I confess I have not read everything yet):

I loved the idea of Starfish. I think that makes a lot of sense. But I'm not sure if it is easy to recognize. "P" looks like Parking. "X" seems prohibited. Wheelchair, seems a wheelchair.

I remember the point I raised is a symbol. Not a logo. It is to be recognized. It is not to spend the concept of coworking.

Technical differences over a symbol for logo: Symbol has no color. Has no slogan. Has no illustration. No more message. It is simply recognized. How Hotspot Wi-Fi.

Although I love the idea of Starfish, I think that a simple coffee mug would be a better symbol for coworking.

What do you think?

ᐧ

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[Will Bennis, Locus Workspace]

Hi Fernando,

I get your point and it makes sense. 

I'd like a simple icon with two people at a desk more than a mug, which to me doesn't convey coworking, but I'm no graphic designer.

I'm still not clear on the value of a standardized "coworking" icon, though. The "wifi hotspot" or "no smoking" icons are useful for cafes and restaurants because it's an optional feature that might influence my choice to enter. It's hard for me to picture someone walking by a business that isn't obviously a coworking space, seeing the icon and saying, "Hey that place has coworking; I'm going in." :)

Best,

Will

[Phil Wolff]

Is there a symbol for caffeine?

[rachel young]

Nope, no one can sit still long enough to make a symbol for caffeine.

:-P

r.

____________________
rachel young
rac...@camaraderie.ca

We're located at 2241 Dundas St W, 3rd floor

(between Bloor and Roncesvalles)

Chat with me via 10KCoffees

Find us online:

Website/blog and Newsletter, Twitter, 

Facebook, Google+, Yelp, and LinkedIn

We're a proud member of CoworkingToronto, 

CoworkingOntario, and CoworkingCanada!

On 22 January 2015 at 12:55, Phil Wolff <pwo...@gmail.com> wrote:

Is there a symbol for caffeine?

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[Loren Tripp]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caffeine