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Manual New Studio

We are happy to announce we have moved to a new studio in the American Industrial Center, in San Francisco’s sunny Dogpatch district.

Dating back to 1915, the building was originally owned by the American Can Company, which employed thousands of men and women to manufacture cans and bottles for West Coast canneries. The building is now occupied by a mix of photographers, architects, designers, artisan food producers, and technology companies.

Our new address is 2325 Third Street, Suite 319, San Francisco, CA 94107.

Letterform Archive talk: Color as Character

Last week we filled a room at Letterform Archive for Tom Crabtree’s salon talk, Color as Character.

Surrounded by a chromatic array of artifacts pulled from the Archive’s collection, Tom traced a path from early sources of inspiration to the identities we create today, with color as the main character throughout. Along the way: a rainbow sweater from childhood, fluorescent screen prints from college, and a kaleidoscopic mix of historical influences, including David Hockney, Eduardo Paolozzi, Piet Zwart, Otl Aicher, and Wim Crouwel.

The evening offered a personal look at Tom’s relationship with color, and the role it continues to play in shaping the way we design at Manual.

Thanks to everyone who came out, and to our friends and neighbors at Letterform Archive for hosting, especially Stephen and Angie.