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OnAir

A brand at the intersection of analog soul and digital precision

Role:

Brand designer

Duration:

2 months

Team:

1

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Vision & Challenge

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Solution

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Brand DNA & Inspiration

>

Visual System

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Materiality

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Located on the vibrant Western Road in Hove, UK, OnAir is a high-fidelity listening bar dedicated to the art of deep listening and communal sound. Inspired by the legendary "jazz kissa" culture of Japan and the golden era of analog synthesis, OnAir offers a meticulously curated environment where world-class audio engineering meets a refined, social atmosphere. It is a space designed for audiophiles and casual listeners alike—a place where the warmth of vinyl, the precision of bespoke speakers, and the raw materiality of its interior design converge to create an immersive sensory experience. The challenge was to build a brand identity that could match this physical excellence, bridging the gap between the tactile world of hi-fi hardware and a modern, playful digital presence.

Branding

Visual identity

Design system

01

Vision & Challenge

OnAir is a brand identity project born at the intersection of analog soul and digital precision. The goal was to create a visual language that feels like a high-end piece of industrial equipment—modular, chunky, and purposeful—while remaining fluid enough to inhabit modern digital spaces. It is a tribute to the "retro-future," where the tactile weight of 1970s hardware meets the limitless flexibility of contemporary design.

OnAir is a brand identity project born at the intersection of analog soul and digital precision. The goal was to create a visual language that feels like a high-end piece of industrial equipment—modular, chunky, and purposeful—while remaining fluid enough to inhabit modern digital spaces. It is a tribute to the "retro-future," where the tactile weight of 1970s hardware meets the limitless flexibility of contemporary design.

The primary challenge was to bridge two seemingly opposite worlds: the raw, heavy materiality of Brutalist architecture and the ethereal, rhythmic nature of early electronic music. The identity needed to feel "solid" and grounded (like a concrete facade or a Braun receiver) yet remain playful and adaptable across a vast range of media—from tiny social media avatars to massive 3D physical signage.

02

Solution

By anchoring the brand in a modular system and a hyper-versatile typographic suite (Martian Grotesk), I developed a "morphing" identity. This system allows the OnAir wordmark to shift its weight and width depending on its environment, mirroring the modular nature of a synthesizer. The result is a cohesive brand experience that balances crisp digital lines with "soft" analog textures like grain and concrete, ensuring the brand feels human, tactile, and timeless.

By anchoring the brand in a modular system and a hyper-versatile typographic suite (Martian Grotesk), I developed a "morphing" identity. This system allows the OnAir wordmark to shift its weight and width depending on its environment, mirroring the modular nature of a synthesizer. The result is a cohesive brand experience that balances crisp digital lines with "soft" analog textures like grain and concrete, ensuring the brand feels human, tactile, and timeless.

03

Brand DNA & Inspiration

Industrial Heritage: The Architectural Foundation

The visual soul of OnAir is rooted in Brutalism and the Space Age—two movements that defined an era of bold, uncompromising optimism. From Brutalism, the brand inherits a love for raw materiality, heavy geometric forms, and the honest exposure of structure (concrete, grids, and blocks). From the Space Age, it draws a sense of futuristic utility, where every curve and module serves a clear, ergonomic purpose.

OnAir takes significant cues from the golden age of industrial design, specifically the functionalist mastery of brands like Braun and Kodak. We adopted a "chunky yet refined" aesthetic—design that feels like a physical object you can grip, even when viewed on a flat screen.

Industrial Heritage: The Architectural Foundation

The visual soul of OnAir is rooted in Brutalism and the Space Age—two movements that defined an era of bold, uncompromising optimism. From Brutalism, the brand inherits a love for raw materiality, heavy geometric forms, and the honest exposure of structure (concrete, grids, and blocks). From the Space Age, it draws a sense of futuristic utility, where every curve and module serves a clear, ergonomic purpose.

OnAir takes significant cues from the golden age of industrial design, specifically the functionalist mastery of brands like Braun and Kodak. We adopted a "chunky yet refined" aesthetic—design that feels like a physical object you can grip, even when viewed on a flat screen.

04

Visual System

Martian Grotesk & Martian Mono: The Dynamic Duo

At the heart of OnAir's visual language is the Martian Grotesk font family. Chosen for its brutalist-inspired geometry and exceptional range, the suite features 9 weights and 7 widths, providing a massive typographic Playground. This flexibility allows the OnAir wordmark to "morph" and adapt to its environment: it can be stretched to fill a wide digital banner, condensed for a sleek mobile interface, or rendered in a heavy, "chunky" weight for physical 3D facades. This ensures the brand remains playful and expressive without ever losing its core DNA.

To balance creative expression with technical precision, we paired Martian Grotesk with its sibling, Martian Mono. While Grotesk handles the bold headlines and fluid branding, Martian Mono provides a structured, monospaced rhythm for technical details, specs, and UI elements. This pairing reinforces the brand’s "analog-digital" bridge—Grotesk brings the soul and fluidity, while Mono brings the precision of a synthesizer’s display or a piece of vintage lab equipment.

Martian Grotesk & Martian Mono: The Dynamic Duo

At the heart of OnAir's visual language is the Martian Grotesk font family. Chosen for its brutalist-inspired geometry and exceptional range, the suite features 9 weights and 7 widths, providing a massive typographic Playground. This flexibility allows the OnAir wordmark to "morph" and adapt to its environment: it can be stretched to fill a wide digital banner, condensed for a sleek mobile interface, or rendered in a heavy, "chunky" weight for physical 3D facades. This ensures the brand remains playful and expressive without ever losing its core DNA.

To balance creative expression with technical precision, we paired Martian Grotesk with its sibling, Martian Mono. While Grotesk handles the bold headlines and fluid branding, Martian Mono provides a structured, monospaced rhythm for technical details, specs, and UI elements. This pairing reinforces the brand’s "analog-digital" bridge—Grotesk brings the soul and fluidity, while Mono brings the precision of a synthesizer’s display or a piece of vintage lab equipment.

Iconography: Streamline Nova Solid

To complement the "solid" materiality of the brand, we integrated the Nova Solid icon pack from Streamline. These icons were selected for their bold, geometric silhouettes and consistent visual weight, which mirror the modular forms of Braun and Kodak hardware. Their "solid" style ensures they hold their own against the heavy Martian typography, whether they are being used as functional UI cues or as playful, oversized graphic elements on apparel and signage.

05

Materiality

Materiality: Bringing Texture to the Screen

A core pillar of the OnAir identity is the intentional tension between digital perfection and analog imperfection. To prevent the brand from feeling cold or overly "tech," we infused the crisp vector lines of the design with a rich sense of materiality. By layering soft textures, film grain, and the raw, porous feel of concrete, we created a visual experience that feels tactile and "lived-in." This approach ensures that even on a high-resolution smartphone screen, the brand carries the weight and warmth of a physical object.

Materiality: Bringing Texture to the Screen

A core pillar of the OnAir identity is the intentional tension between digital perfection and analog imperfection. To prevent the brand from feeling cold or overly "tech," we infused the crisp vector lines of the design with a rich sense of materiality. By layering soft textures, film grain, and the raw, porous feel of concrete, we created a visual experience that feels tactile and "lived-in." This approach ensures that even on a high-resolution smartphone screen, the brand carries the weight and warmth of a physical object.

A Seamless Transition

This "Digital-Analog" bridge allows OnAir to inhabit any space naturally. In the digital realm, the grid and bold typography provide clarity and high-performance UI. In the physical realm, the grain and materiality translate into high-quality print finishes, embossed apparel details, and architectural signage. By blending these two worlds, we created a brand that doesn't just sit on a screen—it occupies a space.

Methods

  • Design Briefing

  • Design Strategy

  • Onsite Visit


Methods

  • Design Briefing

  • Design Strategy

  • Onsite Visit


Skills

  • Systemic Thinking

  • Brand Design

  • Design System

Skills

  • Systemic Thinking

  • Brand Design

  • Design System

Tools

  • Adobe Suite

  • Affinity

  • AI Generation

  • Mockups

Tools

  • Adobe Suite

  • Affinity

  • AI Generation

  • Mockups

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Let’s Collaborate

Book a call with me
or contact me using the contact form.

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Insta

stéph

©

Stéphane Flesch

2024

Let’s Collaborate

Book a call with me
or contact me using
the contact form.

LinkedIn

Substack

Mastodon

Insta

stéph

©

Stéphane Flesch

2024

Let’s Collaborate

Book a call with me
or contact me using the contact form.

LinkedIn

Substack

Mastodon

Insta

stéph

©

Stéphane Flesch

2024