VJ's Designer Phoebe Nguyen Wins 2023 Communication Arts With Her Work

Creative Thinking

Winner
2023 Communications Arts
“Designed to Thrive”

Credits

Phoebe Nguyen, designer
Kelly Monico, instructor
Metropolitan State University of Denver, school

Work Description

“One habit that every designer usually has is taking health for granted. In fact, with late nights, unhealthy foods, dehydration, caffeine intake, bad posture and constant mental health sabotage, it’s not easy to maintain a healthy lifestyle while pursuing your passion. Understanding designers’ needs, Designed to Thrive embraces the idea of a memory game for designers, guiding them to a healthier work-life balance to avoid detrimental habits.”

By using bold and playful colors, the game delivers a bold visual direction, making the designers pay attention to living healthy. Meanwhile, the graphic elements of usual designers’ tools are also incorporated to increase audience engagement and relatability for the game. From a goofy idea of creating a simple matching card game that is often designed for children, ‘Designed to Thrive’ elevates the concept of memory associations that speaks to a more profound issue about the design community.

See Communication Arts's Winners Gallery (Design Issue 64)