There was a perceived notion that world-class artistic studies could not exist in midtown Detroit, and the market for art and design colleges is a heavily saturated one. To succeed, this project needed to convey the spirit of CCS, and convey the school’s intensity and focus on relentless creation. The team of designers, who are all alumni of the school, worked collectively to ensure this piece matched the vision.

The College For Creative Studies is a world-class art and design college located in the heart of Detroit. As students progress through the course of study, they evolve into an elite group of artists, graphic designers, product designers as well as other creative occupations. CCS wanted us to create a brochure that showed the process of how they help their graduates succeed. The piece was designed for internal use, as well as to reach prospective students, their parents and potential donors.

We wanted to create a piece that spoke the college’s transformative nature, so we created a booklet that transformed into something more. The booklet spoke of the school, its process and how it works to create world-class artists and designers. The booklet could be folded out into a 12” x 64” poster that showcased over 100 works created by CCS students and alumni. This duality didn’t just speak to the school’s formula for success, it illustrated it in a unique and entertaining way.

We took it as a good sign that CCS liked the booklet when they kept thinking of more and more people who needed a printed copy of it. The booklet has also played a part in helping CCS reach its highest enrollment figure in the school’s history in an era where fewer students are attending art and design college.