Lobe Studio in Vancouver, CA is the first 4DSOUND system in North America. Visual identity designed by FAY.

Lobe

Identity, website, generative design software and collateral

Lobe is the first spatial sound studio in North America utilizing 4DSOUND technology for immersive sound meditations, wellness events and deep listening experiences. Thanks to an array of ceiling and below-floor speakers—accompanied by custom vibroacoustic floor panels—Lobe’s visitors are plunged into a visceral experience, engulfed by the ebb and flow of sound throughout the space.

FAY was invited to design a brand identity system with the aim of visually translating how Lobe’s sound technology works. As part of the visual identity system, custom generative software was developed, allowing each letter in the company’s name to move independently in space through animation. The result is a shape-shifting wordmark mimicking the way sound migrates through Lobe’s space.

For Lobe, this software is a source of agency: allowing them to quickly generate their own brand and event-specific digital assets. Using advanced algorithmic systems to determine numerous legible lockup variations, the tool can output nearly infinite logo assets, both still and motion-based. The software was also designed with the ability to be live-synced to sound playing in the studio—controlling the movement of the logo in real time, for example, on their website.

Lobe's co-founders.

Co-founders Kate De Lorme and Edo Van Breemen

Lobe's 4D sound software in use.

A screenshot of 4DSOUND software in which sounds can be programmatically animated and sent anywhere in the room

A visualization of 4DSOUND traveling throughout the space

Lobe's 4D sound software in use.

Sound artist and Lobe co-founder Kate Delorme working with the 4DSOUND system

Custom generative design software designed and coded by FAY

The flexible identity system designed by FAY, is based on sound being played in realtime at Lobe.

There’s no limit to the logo’s possible configurations. Letters programmatically move along X, Y, and Z axes, visualizing spatial sound

Social media posts using the circular forms found in Lobe’s wordmark

The logo being used as an armature for a playful social media posts

Neon signed designed by FAY for Lobe.

Neon sign, featuring a single logo iteration

The color palette was developed around a core color called Eigengrau—the color that humans see when we close our eyes.

Business cards for Lobe designed by FAY

Every card features a fresh logo variation

Custom slipmat

FAY advised on the overarching visual theme for Lobe’s website, which was implemented in-house

Booklet designed for Lobe by FAY.

Program showcasing spring events

Lobe’s poster system uses assets generated from the generative design tool to create original visuals for each event

Lobe's event on Resident Advisor.
Poster designed by FAY for Lobe's 2020 spring season.
Poster designed by FAY for Lobe.
Poster designed by FAY for Lobe.

Motion-based flyers borrow line language derived from the wordmark

Instagram graphics designed for Lobe.

Social media graphics for events

Poster designed for Lobe, by FAY.

Here, Lobe’s geometric form language evolves into more complex and event-specific graphics

Lobe totebag, designed by FAY.

Project team

Aron Fay
Will Ferguson
Devon Merlette
Chi Hao Chang

Client team

Edo Van Breemen
Kate De Lorme