Defence in our own hands
The defence industry looks like a video game, Stendr looks like the real thing.
My vision was clear before we started. Stendr would communicate in a minimal and sophisticated, almost boring way. The kind of brand that doesn't need to perform confidence. It emanates it.
The Veraldarnagli sits left of the wordmark.
The mark gives the position. The word states what holds it.
Gnomon
A gnomon is the upright pin of a sundial. From the Greek γνώμων, one who knows.
The oldest scientific instrument still in use. It does not move. It measures by standing while the sun walks across the sky.
Four of them, identical, rotated, locked around a centre. The same module repeated around the same point.
Veraldarnagli
The brandmark is the Veraldarnagli. Old Norse, literally world-nail. The historical name for Polaris.
The Norse held that a nail had been driven through the dome of the sky. The cosmos turned around it. The world-nail did not move.
The mark is four gnomons rotated around a centre point. The empty space in the middle is the world-nail’s hole. The four gnomons are the cosmos turning around it.
The shape reads as a crosshair, a compass rose, a cross, a star, the pin of a sundial seen from above. Variants of one idea. A fixed point from which to take a bearing.
Wordmark
Stendr is the Old Norse verb standa in the third-person singular present tense. It translates as stands.
Not will stand. Not aims to stand. Stands.
The wordmark is set in Switzer, a contemporary Swiss grotesk in the Akzidenz lineage. The typography of cockpit instruments, hospital signage, surgical trays, control panels. Used where precision is not optional.
The form is the meaning. The verb is stands. The letters stand. No italic. No flourish. No decoration.
UX as the starting point
The e-mobility industry is evolving at an accelerating pace, and the adoption curve is already approaching the mass market. Currently, the overall EV user experience is still in its infancy, which is why we set out to create a more unified user journey for the driver.
The B2C brand communicates that EV drivers can access an extensive charging network using their Virta account without incurring roaming costs. Drivers are informed about the network’s global coverage and the direct financial savings achieved by avoiding roaming fees.
The ultimate goal of the project is to enable faster scaling by offering the most user-friendly service on the market. Naturally, Virta’s B2B clients are eager to hear that drivers are actively seeking chargers marked with this logo to save money.
Turning Negative into Positive
The angular design is based on the Virta "V" logo, which is a registered trademark in the company’s target markets. This registration also provides protection for this new iteration.
Since Virta serves both business clients (B2B) and consumers (B2C), it was essential for the new logo to stand out from the primary service brand. We decided to utilize the negative space within the original "V" logo and transform it into a positive form.
The resulting emblem resembles a map pin or a shield. The design communicates a secure, reliable, and global platform.
B2B Brand
The primary Virta brand is used exclusively when communicating with stakeholders or B2B clients. This includes the entire marketing funnel, sales collateral, and the Virta Hub software.
B2C Brand
Currently, the B2C user journey consists of a mix of brands, including the client’s branding, the Virta brand, and "Powered by Virta". This fragmented path fails to communicate to the driver that they are navigating within a single, unified service.
Following the brand renewal, the EV driver’s journey will be visually cohesive. Both the Virta brand and the "Powered by Virta" label will be phased out of the consumer journey. In their place, Virta Network will be introduced to help drivers better understand the service ecosystem they are using. Joint journeys between the client and the network will be designated under the "Connected to Virta Network" brand.
Virta Network gallery
Showcasing the Virta Network brand identity
Virtual Power Plant
Batteries + Renewable energy: Virta’s vision is to integrate electric vehicles into the energy system, thereby enabling sustainable energy and mobility.
To transition towards sustainable alternatives like solar and wind power, a solution is needed for moments when energy generation is unavailable.
In the electricity market, supply and demand must remain in constant balance. Traditionally, this balance has been maintained by adjusting production through hydro and thermal power plants. However, as solar and wind power become more prevalent, the market is prone to significant fluctuations.
The purpose of a Virtual Power Plant (VPP) is to commercialize the connection of EV batteries to the grid as part of the energy flexibility market.
The Visual Identity of a Virtual Power Plant
What should a virtual power plant look like? How do you visualize virtual energy—a form of energy based purely on technology.
I designed the visual theme around the visualization of data retrieved from the network. Drawing inspiration from ASCII and pixel art, I envisioned a network composed of floating pixels that brighten upon activation. More active areas, such as cities, appear lighter.
Dynamic Design for Vehicles
The vehicle's aesthetic needed to be more dynamic and align with automotive design language. The static, calming dots used elsewhere would not work on a car. I began sketching the visuals by drawing inspiration from battery level indicators, motorsports, and emergency vehicle graphics.
A power plant is a massive entity that impacts the lives of everyone using electricity by lowering market prices. Therefore, it must look reliable and somewhat familiar, ensuring it remains approachable even to those unfamiliar with the technology.
It is designed to assist journalists, for example, in taking notes.
a fast-charging station, a V2G station, and a V2G-ready vehicle
