The «Futura» of Visual Identity

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describe the image

The Story Behind the Brand

S3 = Space x Science x Society

Today, S3 (read S-cube) is our pinnacle brand identity, represented by the new sine wave logo.

Sharing this visual branding are the advisory firms, Space Bridges and Science Bridges, and the expanded community, The S3 Initiative.


Celestial Dreams and Humanistic Goals

The inspiration for the S3 sine wave logo design is, naturally, associated with mathematics and science.

The logo is a visual bridge connecting the three capital letter S's, using color to convey context:

Space . . . in sky blue, for the Universe

Science . . . in mineral yellow, for the Earth

Society . . . in blood red, for Mankind

Together they form a special « S3 mathematical formula» which multiplies Space x Science x Society to create exponential opportunity for knowledge and understanding. This visual mashup of sine waves with their galaxy-shaped “S” and vibrant colors communicate our mission to raise awareness about the contributions of space exploration and scientific research to the global economy, education, and social welfare.

The S3 Initiative Team

Typography

We worked with Rene Steiner, principal of Steiner Graphics to realize this unique visual identity. 

We cheered when Rene pointed out we were a perfect match for the Futura typeface he'd selected:

This geometric san-serif font, created in 1927 by Paul Renner, was the first typeface to land on the moon! Futura was used on the commemorative plaque left by the astronauts of Apollo 11 in 1969  (see image on to the left).

Moreover, filmmaker Stanley Kubrick—whose creative oeuvre contributed to bringing space to society--employed Futura in many of his films, including «2001: A Space Odyssey».