Copenhagen, December 3rd, 2024

Established in 2005, B14 is a multidisciplinary design agency focused on creating sophisticated and strong solutions through strategic collaboration with clients. By evolving and nurturing the intersecting fields of design and technology, the agency brings clarity to the increasingly complex digital world. Their approach, grounded in a deep commitment to completeness, ensures elegant and sustainable solutions in an ever-changing landscape of new platforms and shifting technologies. Dedicated to inspiring clients to embrace their digital future, B14 empowers them to take charge of their identity, creating bold paths and impactful designs.

Simon Lund Green is a Senior Graphic Designer at B14, With a passion for graphic design that dates back to his childhood, Simon has worked on numerous projects where design and technology intersect. In an interview with TIA, he discusses his journey into the field, his personal design philosophy, and how he tackles creative challenges. Simon also shares his experience working with clients across various industries and reflects on how B14 continually adapts to new technological advancements in the dynamic world of design.

To begin with a more personal question, what aspects of life in Copenhagen do you find most enjoyable or unique?

I love that no matter where you live in Copenhagen, you’re never far from the sea.

If you are visiting the city I would recommend going to Nørrebro where you’ll find a creative, vibrant, and diverse atmosphere, which is the reason my family and I live in this district.

What initially inspired your journey into graphic design, and how has your passion for it evolved over the years?

Since I was a kid, I have always been strongly attracted to and interested in design. In high school I started doing personal creative projects, such as CD covers, posters and skateboard deck sketches. But it was my brother – who is in this field as well – who inspired and motivated me to turn my hobby into a career.

My passion for graphic design evolved to include digital media when I at some point realized that you as a digital designer get a much larger toolset to direct the attention of the audience due to motion and technological advancements.

How would you describe your personal design philosophy, and how does it guide your creative decisions?

It’s always about presenting content in an innovative way that leads the user directly to the intention of the design. In the design process I always try to find the balance between new and exciting and how the audience interacts with similar products or services.

Combining design with technology can be challenging. How do you ensure that these two elements work harmoniously to create seamless and impactful results?

Working in a small, dedicated team with highly skilled front-end designers who see opportunities rather than challenges is a significant part of it. Furthermore, we are continually evolving and adapting our design process and skills to new technological demands.

When you start a new project at B14, what are the first steps you take to understand and interpret the client’s vision into a graphic design concept?

Often when we start a new project, we must turn things around and come up with drafts with several designs fast. Therefore, we try to involve the client in the creative process early on. Listening to their thoughts and needs, sharing research and inspirations, all to create a shared understanding of the design direction.

Are there any specific industries or sectors that B14 is particularly passionate about working with or contributing to?

We have done a lot of work for educational institutions in a wide range of creative fields. Schools for music, design, architecture and performing arts such as acting and dance.
Another field we are very proud of working in, is designing for clients who have a big say in climate agendas. But in general, we love to work with clients that understand the value of design.

Could you walk us through your experience working on the Natural History Museum Denmark website? What were the main goals, and how did you approach them from a design perspective?

Natural History Museum Denmark needed a website so they could insert their new visual identity into a digital context. A context that encourages an exploratory experience, without compromising effective user journeys.

The visual identity, made by Holmes Studio, is based on the Fibonacci sequence and proportions. In the beginning of the design process, we did a lot of sketching and talking on how to transform the identity into a digital context. It was quite challenging for us because a grid based on the Fibonacci spiral ends up with various columns widths which is not optimal for responsive content lists or collections of images etc. Therefore, we ended up with two different grids for the website. A basic 12-column grid for the main content and on top of that a 5-column grid based on the Fibonacci spiral to use as graphical elements.

Based on the two grids we designed a visible frame for the content forming an approachable and accessible design system.

We also used the Fibonacci sequence and proportion as a guiding principle in the hierarchy for the use of typography.

The client was happy about the solution, and we ended up incorporating the Fibonacci-based visual grid to the identity to use on printed matter such as posters, booklets and outdoors.

In a project where you had a leading role, like the museum website, what were some unique challenges you encountered, and how did you overcome them?

Working on projects with an existing identity not made for digital media often gives you some unnecessary constraints in terms of finding the best user experience. In this case the client was very responsive and trusting and gave us the opportunity to modify specific elements in the identity which made a good and fluid design process.

Is there a particular methodology or workflow you follow that helps you stay organized and focused on the design objectives of a project?

To avoid losing focus from the design objectives and to ensure a seamless connection between print and digital media, we sketch and prototype early in the process, rather than wireframing. This approach allows us to play with design principles, such as scale, proximity and order in an open canvas.

Based on your experience, what’s the most important factor that leads brands to create successful overseas experiences and to engage at a global scale?

I think first and foremost, you must retain a continual understanding of your audience of each new market. Otherwise, you won’t be able to speak directly to them.

As technology advances, design agencies face new challenges and opportunities. How do you see B14 adapting to these changes, and what role do you play in this evolution?

We continually try to evolve and adapt our design process and skills. As technology continues to advance, graphic design will do the same. And both will keep influencing the other.

How would you describe the design industry in Copenhagen?

Stimulating and open-minded. There are a good number of skilled agencies with various specializations and new ones keep popping up. I find that both new and more experienced agencies design with both tolerance and vision.

Could you share a piece of advice you wish you’d known earlier in your career, especially for handling high-responsibility roles in projects?

I don’t know – be able to relax and work with people you like.

Outside of work, are there specific creative interests or activities that inspire or influence your design work?

I do a lot of running. Maybe it’s not a creative interest, but I use running as a space where I can concentrate my thoughts around a creative challenge. If I’m feeling stuck in the design process, I always go for a run.

On a workday I spend 7-8 hours in front of a screen. Therefore, in my spare time, the best place for me to find inspiration is outside my profession and away from the computer.

For instance, my family and I have embarked on quite an ambitious and crazy project to us. We bought and are now renovating a 125-year-old cabin in the Swedish countryside. I find it both inspirational and educational to work with different materials than usual, facing completely different challenges than normal.

Can you name the global issue you are most passionate about and why?

My concern for the planet is the first thing on my mind. Because it’s my home.

Please share a fun-fact that not many people know about you.

I have bought the same sneaker model every time (almost) since I was 16 years old. Never stray from the enlightened path.

Thanks Simon!

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