April 2019
After a mere 5 years (see also our news entry further down from October 2014) in the making (and a considerable amount of colour proofing), it seems that our epic, 752 pages of Anish Kapoor's photographs from Uluru and Kata Tjuta may be printed, bound and sent to bookshops in time for the summer. More information on the two-volume publication, ‘Uluru & Kata Tjuta photographs by Anish Kapoor’, can be found on the publisher's website, Steidl. To see more work we have done for Anish Kapoor, please visit our portfolio.
February 2019
Just in time for the closing of the exhibition of Anish Kapoor at the Serralves museum in Porto, Portugal, on February 17th (yes, the show were a man was injured during an ‘art accident’) we finally have the printed catalogue we designed in the spring/summer of 2018 in our hands (on our chairs). We don’t really know what took the printer so long, nor do we know why the catalogue isn’t anywhere in shops yet. But we do know, that the special thing about this catalogue is, that it gives a very close insight in the way Anish Kapoor works in his studio, starting in 1975 up to 2018. To see more work we have done for Anish Kapoor, please visit our portfolio.
January 2019
We designed the stamp and the first day cover stamps for 100 Jahre Frauenwahlrecht (100 Years Women’s Suffrage in Germany). The historical image, in conjunction with the typography, reflects the struggle for equality of women at the end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th century (until today). An example of this struggle is Marie Juchacz, the first speaker in front of a German parliament, after women’s suffrage was won. The photo shows her in 1919 during a speech in front of a crowd in Berlin. The typographical treatment serves also as a reference and hommage to the contemporary American (feminist) artist Barbara Kruger, and to Aleksander Rodchenko, the Russian artist, sculptor, photographer and graphic designer who played a vital role during the Russian October Revolution in 1917 which had a great influence on the German November Revolution in 1918, which finally brought the women right to vote to Germany. Buy the stamp here. To see more stamp work we have done, please visit our portfolio.
November 2018
We designed the poster (A1, offset) for the regular High Noon talks at the Faculty of Design (FbG) in Darmstadt. The topic during this winter season is ‘FbG design partnerships’. The first talk with Riso Club from Leipzig (Christiane Haas & Sina Schindler, faculty alumna from 2013) is on the 4th of December and the second talk with Aether-Design from Heidelberg (Lukas Breitkreuz & Max Hathaway, faculty alumni from 2008) is on the 18th December 2018. To see more work we have done for the Faculty of Design, please visit our portfolio.
November 2018
Our stamp design for ‘Annemarie Renger 1919–2008’ won 3rd place in the invited competition by the Bundesfinanzministerium (Referat Postwertzeichen). We are being invited to competitions since 2003. For more information and images see also our portfolio of work.
November 2018
(Animated and printed) posters and flyers Frank’s students (Marvin Backes, Yannik Gedaschke, Alexander Kueller, Yannic Merz, Janik Sam) in Darmstadt designed for the High Noon talk of Raw Color (NL) on November 7th at the Faculty of Design.
Oktober 2018
Micro website for Sybille Philippin, mezzo-soprano – an opera and concert singer.
Oktober 2018
Visual Identity incl. logo and name for Milan-based Ksenia Emelianova, a Russian-born artist and interior designer. Micro-website to follow soon.
Oktober 2018
New micro website for ‘High Noon’ – a series of talks Frank organises at the Faculty of Design at Darmstadt University since 2008.
Oktober 2018
We have a new website. It’s our 5th site since we started the studio in 1999. If you are interested in the past you can click on the following links to see our first website from the year 2001–2004, our second one from 2005–2009, our third from 2010–2015 and our fourth from 2016–2018. Our new site is running on WordPress with Lay Theme and is our first site (apart from our very first site) were we haven’t used a programmer but do it all ourselves…
August 2018
The German studio of Brighten the Corners moved to the center of the Bavarian city of Aschaffenburg – close to Frankfurt/Main. Please go to our Info page for the full address.
August 2018
Our most recent book for Anish Kapoor’s exhibition in Serralves, Porto goes to print. All sections are printed except one – now, if we can only get a decision on those logo sizes on the cover and imprint pages... To see more work we have done for Anish Kapoor, please visit our portfolio.
October 2008
We wrote, illustrated, designed and published a children’s book for adults – Victor & Susie. It will be in selcted shops from November 1st. The book can also be purchased directly through this website for £5/€7.
September 2008
We designed and produced 6 different notebooks with 6 different lined patterns and colours. Gold cut on the long right edge of each notebook and golden staples. Comes in a see-through bag. One notebook can be purchased for £3/€4. All six for £15/€20.
May 2008
We received two ADC Awards 2008 (Art Directors Club New York). One for the design of the programme for the Italian Cultural Institute in London and another one for the newsmagazine Accenture Ireland CCD 07.
March 2008
We recently designed the material (A1 poster and postcard concertina) for the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) competition. Deadline for entries is in November 2008.
May 2008
On the 14/5/08 we will give a talk to the 3rd year Graphic Design students at Camberwell College of Arts London. Camberwell college is where both of us, Billy and Frank, met and studied. We graduated there in 1997. It will be good and strange to be back. We are looking forward to it!
April 2008
On the 10/4/08 we will give a talk to the students at the Communication, Art and Design department at the Royal College of Art London.
January 2008
Design of a new programme of events for the Italian Cultural Institute in London. We asked the staff of the institute to collect their favourite Italian sayings, and used the cover of each issue as a fold-out poster to display them. Poster designed with Ian Gabb.
Brighten the Corners is a design studio in London and Aschaffenburg (close to Frankfurt/Main). We, Frank Philippin and Billy Kiosoglou, established the studio in 1999 after graduating with an MA in Graphic Design from the Royal College of Art and run it to this day. We cover all areas of Graphic Design, including book/editorial, logos, visual identities, posters, websites, stamps and (exhibition) signage.
Contact United Kingdom Brighten the Corners (UK) / c/o Billy Kiosoglou / Studio AR03 Arbor House / Moulding Lane / London SE14 6BS / london(at)brightenthecorners(dot)com / T +44 (0)79 7997 0834 Map Contact Germany Brighten the Corners (D) / c/o Frank Philippin / Schloßgasse 1+3 / D-63739 Aschaffenburg / aschaffenburg(at)brightenthecorners(dot)com / T +49 (0)160 5536 117 Map
Awards
We’ve won quite a few awards–the most prestigious being the Grand Prix at the TDC Tokyo Type Directors Club, the Design Museum London Designs of the Year Award, a Yellow Pencil at the D&AD Awards, a Gold Cube at the ADC Art Directors Club New York, a Gold Nail at the ADC Art Directors Club Germany and Certificates of Typographic Excellence at the TDC New York Type Directors Club. Here the full list: Design Museum London Designs of the Year Awards 2013, nominated in the category Graphic Design • D&AD Design & Art Directors Club UK Yellow Pencil 2013, Yellow Pencil Nomination 2014 and Wood Pencil 2016, 2013, 2010, 2007 and 2005 • Tokyo TDC Type Directors Club Grand Prix in 2014, Grand Prix Nomination in 2013, Excellent Work/In-book Award in 2017, 2016, 2✕2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010 and 2009 • TDC New York Type Directors Club Certificate of Typographic Excellence in 2014, 2013 and 2012 • ADC Art Directors Club New York Global Awards Gold Cube in 2013 and 2009, Global Awards Silver Cube in 2014 and Global Awards Bronze Cube in 2014 and 2011 • ADC Art Directors Club Germany Golden Nail in 2013, Bronze Nail in 2014 and In-Book Award in 2009 • iF Communication Design Award in 2014 • Fedrigoni Top Award Silver in 2015 and in 2013 • Stiftung Buchkunst Most Beautiful German Book Award shortlist in 2016, 2014 and 2005 • 100 Beste Plakate in 2002 and 2001 • Best of Corporate Publishing (BCP) Shortlist (Top 7) in 2013 • German Photo Book Award Shortlist in 2019
Clients
Over the years, we’ve worked with many clients including Anish Kapoor (UK), Aram Store (UK), Bolles+Wilson Architects (D), British Council (UK), Bundesfinanzministerium (D), DAAD (UK/D), Disney (UK/US), Fraunhofer-Institut (D), Frieze (UK/D), Goethe-Institut (UK/D), ICA (UK), Italian Cultural Institute (UK), Laurence King Publishing (UK), Martin-Gropius-Bau (D), RIBA (UK), Skira Editore (IT), Steidl Publishing (D), Second Hand Records Stuttgart (D), Walther Koenig Publishing (D) and the Vitra Design Museum (D).
Teaching
We’ve also been teaching Graphic Design since 1998. Frank has been a professor of Communication Design at the Faculty of Design, Darmstadt University (D) since 2007, and Billy is an associate lecturer at UAL Camberwell College of Arts (UK) since 2014, and currently a visiting practitioner at Brunel University London.
How we do things
• On good design • Having studied in an environment that valued originality and lateral thinking over style has informed our practise to this day and has greatly influenced the way we approach each design project. We still believe that concept-driven design leads to new ways of seeing and new ways of doing things. And therefore better design • On our approach • When we start work on a project, we try to get right to the heart of it and enjoy editing out all the unnecessary bits. Then we try to make work that is original, memorable, and direct • On beauty • It inevitably comes into what we do, but it’s not an objective in itself. We prefer to focus on the formation of a strong idea and how it translates into appropriate design (that’s the beautiful bit). Because looking for beauty doesn’t necessarily lead to beauty. Most of the times it leads to a momentarily stylish result that will age fast and ungracefully. Style is, by its nature, ephemeral. If, on the contrary, you put your faith in the idea and trust the design process, the outcome will have integrity, originality and longevity. We’re happy to look back at our portfolio from the past 18 years and see that most works stand the test of time • On doing it right • The deeper we’re involved in a project, the more you get out of us. We depend on respectful collaboration, not least because it will lead to work that surpasses expectations • On growing • We’ve kept our studio small, as we enjoy working on all stages of the process (including initial meetings, design presentations, design/layout, final artwork, and handling production). This means we personally handle a project from concept through to production, ensuring things don’t get lost in translation. When projects require more, we also have a reliable pool of writers, editors, architects, programmers, and artworkers, with whom we work to get the job done. With our experience and skills, you’ll get more than you pay for • On fees and free pitches • We’re not the cheapest designers – a bespoke approach and attention to detail never is – but you’re not paying for overheads. We don’t do free pitches. A commission is based on trust, a free pitch on lack of trust. Plus, they don’t work for anyone. When designers focus on securing a job, they aren’t exploring the countless possibilities of what that job could be • On specialising • We have always resisted it! We’re happy working with artists and corporates alike, with start-ups, organisations, architects and institutes. We also publish our own projects and teach Graphic Design.
Our Name
Before there was Brighten the Corners studio for design, there was Brighten the Corners, the album by Pavement. Although tracing the connection may seem difficult, the more persistent listener will find that repeated sessions of Type Slowly, Date w/ IKEA or Old to Begin will offer invaluable insights.
Jobs & Freelance
We don’t have any openings and we are not working with any freelancers at the moment. However, you can send us your portfolio and we will let you know if an opportunity to collaborate arises in the future: jobs(at)brightenthecorners(dot)com
Internships
Please email internships(at)brightenthecorners(dot)com
with your details and web links. We don't take on interns on a regular basis–so don’t get your hopes up too high that we will offer you a placement. Students who have done an internship with us so far (in order of ‘appearance’): Julian von Klier, Stefania Tomasello, Kristin Schoch, Laura Heeks, Haruka Yamada, Tom Richter
Imprint & Copyright Notice (UK)
Billy Kiosoglou trades under the name of Brighten the Corners (UK). The website address is: https://brightenthecorners.com © 2019 Brighten the Corners. All rights reserved unless otherwise indicated, all materials on these pages are copyrighted. No part of these pages, either text or images may be used for any purpose other than personal use, unless explicit authorisation is given by Brighten the Corners. Therefore reproduction, modification, storage in a retrieval system or retransmission, in any form or by any means–electronic, mechanical or otherwise–for reasons other than personal use, is strictly prohibited without prior written permission.
Impressum & Copyright Hinweis (D)
Frank Philippin firmiert als Freiberufler unter dem Namen Brighten the Corners (D), Ust-IdNr. DE225564139. Die Webseitenadresse ist: https://brightenthecorners.com. © 2019 Brighten the Corners. Inhaltlich verantwortlich gemäss § 55 abs. 2 Rstv: Billy Kiosoglou und Frank Philippin. Haftungshinweis: trotz sorgfältiger inhaltlicher Kontrolle übernehmen wir keine Haftung für die Inhalte externer Links. Für den Inhalt der verlinkten Seiten sind ausschliesslich deren Betreiber verantwortlich. © 2018 Brighten the Corners (D). Die auf dieser Webseite wiedergegebenen Texte, Bilder und audiovisuellen Inhalte sowie das Layout und Design der Webseite sind urheberrechtlich geschützt und dürfen ohne vorherige Zustimmung des Rechteinhabers nicht zu anderen als rein privaten Zwecken verwendet werden. Insbesondere ist eine öffentliche Wiedergabe oder Veränderung der Inhalte unzulässig.
Website designed by Brighten the Corners, running on WordPress with Lay Theme.
Bibliography
Alexander Girard – A designer’s Universe, 512 pages (March 2016), authors of a 120 page visual essay & designers of the book: Frank Philippin, Billy Kiosoglou (Brighten the Corners), publisher: Vitra Design Museum, ISBN 9783945852040 • I used to be a design student, 256 pages (Feb 2013), authors & designers: Frank Philippin, Billy Kiosoglou (Brighten the Corners), publisher: Laurence King, ISBN 978-1856698986 • plus a Korean edition in 2014 (디자이너, 디자이너 훔쳐보기 published by ag books, ISBN 9788970597355) • and a Chinese edition in 2016 (我曾经是个设计系学生——50个平面设计师的今昔对比, published by HuaZhong University of Science & Technology Press, ISBN 9787568007023) • Victor & Susie (2008, ISBN 9783923107421) / Stanley & Marvin (2009, ISBN 978-0-9562202-0-2) / Susie & Edward (2009, ISBN 978-0-9562202-1-9), all paperback, 72 pages, authors and designers: Frank Philippin, Billy Kiosoglou (Brighten the Corners), published by Offizin Scheufele • 2 Jahre/2 Years, 104 pages (March 2008), author: Frank Philippin, publisher: Offizin Scheufele, ISBN 978-3-923107-45-2
Featured in books (selection)
Pulp, issue #04 Arte/Art, created by Eye Magazine, interview with John L Walters with the title ‘Feels Like Sculpture’, 76 pages (2015), publisher: Fedrigoni • New Graphic Design: The 100 Best Contemporary Graphic Designers, 512 pages (2013), authors: Charlotte and Peter Fiell, publisher: Carlton/Goodman Books (London), ISBN 978-1847960443 • Fully Booked: Ink on Paper – Design and Concepts for New Publications, 272 pages (2013), publisher: Gestalten (Berlin), ISBN 978-3899554649 • It’s Nice That Annual 2012, 264 pages (2012), publisher: It’s Nice That • Slanted Magazin #16 Bold/Light, 148 pages (2011), publisher: MAGMA Brand Design (Karlsruhe/München), ISSN 1867-6510 • Minimalist Design, 336 pages (2011), publisher: Harper Collins (New York), ISBN 978-0062004581 • Selected A: Graphic & New Media Design from Europe, 700 pages (Sep 2010), publisher: Index Books (Barcelona), ISBN 978-8492643578 • The Complete Typographer, 292 pages (2010), publisher: Thames & Hudson (London), ISBN 978-4903233567 • Idea No. 340: Forms of Practice, 230 pages (2010), publisher: Seibundo Shinkosha Publishing (Tokyo) • Sourcebook of Contemporary Graphic Design, 600 pages (2009), publisher: Harper Collins (New York), ISBN 0061704385 2 Colors: Low Budget, High Impact, 288 pages (2009), publisher: Page One Publishing, ISBN 9789812456571 • Made & Sold: Toys, T-Shirts, Prints, Zines and Other Stuff, 240 pages (2009), publisher: Laurence King (London), ISBN 9781856696289 • Zoom In Zoom Out, 288 pages (2006), publisher: Victionary (Hong Kong), ISBN 9889822814 • Tres Logos, 508 pages (2006), publisher: Gestalten (Berlin), ISBN 3899551575 • Idea No. 316: The Conditions of Graphic Design, 264 pages (2006), publisher: Seibundo Shinkosha Publishing (Tokyo) • Introducing: Designs for Making a First Impression, 240 pages (Jan 2006), publisher: Gestalten (Berlin), ISBN 389955087 • Problem Solved – A Primer in Design and Communication, 288 pages (2004), publisher: Phaidon (London), ISBN 0714844535 • Business cards: The Art of Saying Hello, 272 pages (2004), publisher: Harper Collins (New York), ISBN 1856693864 • Insight: A Guide to Design with Low Vision in Mind, 304 pages (2003), publisher: RotoVision (London), ISBN 2880466989 • What is Graphic Design?, 256 pages (2002), publisher: RotoVision (London), ISBN 2880465397 • GB: Graphic Britain, 208 pages (2002), publisher: Laurence King (London), ISBN 1856693112 • Baseline Magazine No. 34, 120 pages (2001), publisher: Bradbourne Publishing (Kent) • Restart: New Systems in Graphic Design, 176 pages (2001), publisher: Thames & Hudson (London), ISBN 0500282978.
Talks (selection)
Coimbra (PRT), ENED (National Conference for Design Students), 2016 • London (UK), Jewish Cultural Centre (The Book is Dead! Long Live the Book!), 2016 • Düsseldorf (D), Peter Behrens School of Arts (Filmwerkstatt Düsseldorf), 2016 • Potsdam (D), FH Potsdam Faculty of Design (Editorial Design), 2016 • Düsseldorf (D), Peter Behrens School of Arts (Jour Fixe), 2015 • Falmouth (UK), Falmouth University (Graphic Design Visiting Speaker Series), 2015 • London (UK), Typocircle (St Bride Library), 2015 • Tokyo (JP), Tokyo Type Directors Club (TDC Day Joshibi University of Art and Design), 2014 • Epsom (UK), University for the Creative Arts (UCA), 2014 • Xijing (CHN), Xijing Art College, 2013 • Chengdu (CHN), Chengdu Art College, 2013 • London (UK), Design Museum (PechaKucha X Design), 2013 • Darmstadt (D), Hochschule Darmstadt Faculty of Design (I used to be a design student book launch), 2013 • London (UK), University College of the Arts Camberwell (I used to be a design student book launch), 2013 • London (UK), Royal College of Art (Type talks), 2008 • London (UK), University College of the Arts Camberwell (BA Graphic Design Department), 2008 • Augsburg (D), Fachhochschule Augsburg (Design matters: forum for critical debate), 2007 • London (UK), Royal College of Art (Type talks), 2005 • London (UK), Royal College of Art (Together), 2003 • Brighton (UK), University of Brighton (Professional Practice Lecture), 2000 • Kingston (UK), Kingston University (Professional Practice Lecture), 2000 • London (UK), Helen Hamlyn Reseach Centre (Symposium), 2000 • London (UK), PIRA Conference, 2000 • London (UK), PSAG, 2000 • Kent (UK), Kent Institute of Art & Design (Professional Practice Lecture), 1999 • Reddich (UK), North East Worchestershire College (Professional Practice Lecture), 1999
Exhibitions (selection)
Tokyo (JPN) (Ginza Graphic Gallery) & Kyoto (JPN) (ddd gallery), TDC Exhibitions, 2016 • Singapore (The Substation Gallery), ‘I Have a Room with Everything Too’, 2016 • World wide touring exhibition, NY TDC60 on the Road, 2014–2015 • Beijing (CHN) (CAFA Art Museum), A dialogue on typography, 2015 • London (UK) (Stationers’ Hall), Fedrigoni Top Award exhibition, 2015 • Tokyo (JPN) (Ginza Graphic Gallery) & Osaka (JPN) (ddd gallery) & Concordia (USA) (The Concordia Art Center Gallery), TDC Exhibitions, 2014 • Stuttgart (D) (Rathaus Stuttgart), ADC Roadshow & Editorial, 2014 • New York (USA) (ADC Gallery), ADC Awards Exhibition, 2014 • Berlin (D) (do you read me?! Reading Room & Shop), ‘Editorial ist ausgezeichnet!’, 2014 • Tokyo (JPN) (Ginza Graphic Gallery) & Osaka (JPN) (ddd gallery) & Seoul (KOR) (Samwon Paper Gallery) & Shenzhen (CHN) (The OCT Art & Design Gallery), TDC Exhibitions, 2013 • Chengdu (CHN) (Chengdu Art College), 10 posters, 2013 • Parma (IT) (Bodoni Museum), Fedrigoni Top Award exhibition, 2013 • New York (USA) (The Cooper Union Gallery), TDC New York Exhibition, 2013 • London (UK) (Design Museum), Designs of the Year, 2013 • London (UK) (Royal College of Art), 10th Anniversary Exhibition Helen Hamlyn Centre, 2009 • Vancouver (CAN) (Emily Carr University), Common Threads Poster Exhibition, 2009 • London (UK) (Cork Street Gallery), DAHRA (Designers Against Human Rights Abuse), 2009 • Berlin (D) (Zentral- und Landesbibliothek Berlin), 100 Beste Poster, 2003 • London (UK) (Billboard und Publication in Duke St Hill), Change Your Life – Just and Frank, 2002 • Berlin (D) (Zentral- und Landesbibliothek Berlin), 100 Beste Poster, 2002 • London (UK) (The Old Jam Factory), Young Horses, 2001 • London (UK) (Hockney Gallery), Cow, 2001 • London (UK) (Entrance Gallery), Transit AV-installation, 1998 • London (UK) (Gallery No.10 London), Reflectaphors, 1996
Uluru & Kata Tjuta Photographs
Design for the first ever publication of photographs by Anish Kapoor, the two volumes (752 pages altogether), published by Steidl, trace the artist’s journey through the religious sites of Uluru and Kata Tjuta in the Northern Territory of Australia. Designed as ‘silent’ publications but for Kapoor’s quotes on the front covers, and co-edited with Anish Kapoor Studio, the 362 images follow Kapoor’s gaze capturing his interest in form and pre-form, skin and surface that is present in his sculptural work. (Photographs ©Steidl)
Vitra Design Museum: Alexander Girard – A Designer’s Universe
Design of a catalogue/monograph for “Alexander Girard: A Designer’s Universe”, a travelling exhibition which opened at the Vitra Design Museum in Germany in 2016. The 512-page publication is the first Girard book to extensively discuss the designer’s career and legacy, with six essays, a biography and an illustrated list of works with many previously unpublished material; a real treasure for Girard fans and researchers. Although we knew that the sheer amount of content would lend a certain gravitas to this publication, we didn’t want it to feel too dry or academic, and wanted the design to do justice to the work. We also wanted readers to get a sense of the work and the person before starting to read, so after going through the vast archives of folk objects, textiles, works and family photographs, we created a 120-page visual essay titled ‘Connections’ which served as the introduction to the book. When you publish old material it is often viewed nostalgically as something ‘retro’ and isn’t appreciated for what it truly is. We wanted to make sure that this didn’t happen, and that our book was engaging to a contemporary audience. We brought back the faded colours in the textiles, and introduced a sense of play to the juxtaposition of the images, in a way we felt was true to the spirit of Girard’s playfulness and sense of humour. The book was published in a German and English edition.
Stamps
Since 2003 we have been asked twelve times by the Bundesfinanzministerium (Referat Postwertzeichen) to invited stamp competitions. So far we got one 3rd place (for the stamp we designed for the ‘100th birthday of politician Annemarie Renger’ in 2018 and two 2nd places for the stamps we designed for the ‘Biathlon World Championships in Ruhpolding’ in 2012 and the stamp for ‘Das Grüne Band Deutschland (The Green Belt Germany)’ in 2019. In January 2019 our first stamp who won 1st place was published on the topic of ‘100 Years Frauenwahlrecht’ (Women’s suffrage) – please see extra feature below. Other stamp design proposals we did were on the topic of ‘Valentine’s Day’, ‘500 Years of German purity law for beer’, ‘First official postal flight in Germany’, ‘100 Years of Volkshochschule (adult evening classes) and ‘Foootball Euro 2020’.
Anish Kapoor — Website
Concept, design and programming for the website of artist Anish Kapoor – live online since 2008 (Visit here). An ever growing chronological list of links to works, videos, texts, studio photographs, sketchbook drawings, or any other relevant page sourced from the web (including a Cloud Gate google for the much photographed sculpture in Chicago), the site has been kept simple yet is extremely dense: a site you can really get lost in.
I used to be a design student – 50 graphic designers then + now
The book we authored, edited and designed was published in February 2013 by Laurence King Publishing in London. It looks at the process a designer goes through in finding their ‘voice’. We asked fifty graphic designers to give us the low-down about their student days and their professional lives. A piece of their college work is shown alongside an example of current work. Each designer also offers a key piece of advice and a warning. Topics addressed include how ideas are researched and developed; design and other cultural influences, then and now; positive and negative aspects of working as a designer; motivations for becoming a designer; and whether it's really possible to teach design. Awarded a Bronze Nail at the ADC (Art Directors Club) für Deutschland and a Certificate of Typographic Excellence at the TDC (Type Directors Club) in New York. Reviews on eye Magazine, Brain Pickings, It’s Nice That, Fast Company Design and other places. Order online at Laurence King, amazon.co.uk, amazon.com, amazon.de. In 2014 a Korean edition of the book was published by ag books and in 2016 a Chinese edition was published by HuaZhong University of Science & Technology Press. Contributions From Andreas Gnass (U9 Visuelle Allianz), Andrew Stevens (Graphic Thought Facility), Annelys De Vet, António S. Gomes (Barbara Says...), Ben Branagan, Bernd Hilpert (Unit-Design), Brian Webb, Christian Heusser (Equipo), Daniel Eatock, Danijela Djokic (Projekttriangle), Emmi Salonen (Studio Emmi), Éric & Marie Gaspar (Éricandmarie), Fons Hickmann (Fons Hickmann M23), Hans Dieter Reichert (Hdr Visual Coomunication), Holger Jacobs (Mind Design), Hoon Kim (Why Not Smile), Hyoun Youl Joe (Hey Joe), Isabelle Swiderski (Seven25), James Goggin (Museum Of Contemporary Art, Chicago), Jan Wilker (Karlssonwilker), Julie Gayard (Jutojo), Kai Von Rabenau (Mono.Graphie), Ken Garland, Kirsty Carter (A Practice For Everyday Life), Kristine Matthews (Studio Matthews), Lars Harmsen (Magma Brand Design), Laurent Lacour (Hauser Lacour), Liza Enebis (Studio Dumbar), Lucinda Newton-Dunn (Space-To-Think), Maki Suzuki (Åbäke), Marc Van Der Heijde (Studio Dumbar), Margaret Calvert, Marion Fink, Martin Lorenz (Twopoints.Net), Matthias Görlich (Studio Matthias Görlich), Michael Georgiou (G Design Studio), Nikki Gonnissen (Thonik), Oliver Klimpel (Büro International), Paul Barnes, Prem Krishnamurthy (Projects Projects), Renata Graw (Plural), Richard Walker (Kk Outlet/Kesselskramer), Sandra Hoffmann Robbiani (Visual Studies) , Sascha Lobe (L2m3), Stefan Sagmeister (Sagmeister Inc.), Sven Voelker (Sven Voelker Studio), Tim Balaam (Hyperkit), Urs Lehni (Lehni-Trüb, Rollo Press), Yasmin Khan (Counterspace), Yves Fidalgo (Fulguro).
Zumtobel annual report
Art direction and design of the 2011/12 annual report of lighting company Zumtobel. The design separated the report into two distinct volumes: a purely typographical, black and white book with the annual facts and figures typeset entirely in 8pt Courier, alongside a ‘silent’ publication of pure colour, a translation into print of the 1998 video work ‘Wounds and Absent Objects’ by Anish Kapoor. Reviewed at It’s Nice That, the Creative Review blog and Co.Design, the report was selected for the Designs of the Year 2013 awards at the Design Museum in London, nominated at Tokyo TDC and awarded a Gold Cube at the 92nd annual ADC Art Directors Club Global Awards in the US. Furthermore, it received a Golden Nail at the ADC für Deutschland awards and a Yellow Pencil at the D&AD Awards.
Endless Journey
Art direction, design and production of Tom Gauld’s ‘Endless Journey’ – a myriorama inspired by the works of Laurence Sterne. The pack consists of twelve picture cards that can be arranged to form 479,001,600 different landscapes. It was commissioned by The Laurence Sterne Trust with support by the Arts Council England on the occasion of the ‘Sentimental Landscapes’ exhibition at the Shandy Hall Museum in North Yorkshire. You can buy ‘Endless Journey’ here, and read more about it on It’s Nice That. Awarded with a pencil at the D&AD Awards.
Stamp Design – 100 Jahre Frauenwahlrecht (100 Years Women’s Suffrage in Germany)
The stamp and the first day cover stamps for 100 Jahre Frauenwahlrecht. The historical image, in conjunction with the typography, reflects the struggle for equality of women at the end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th century (until today). An example of this struggle is Marie Juchacz, the first speaker in front of a German parliament, after women’s suffrage was won. The photo shows her in 1919 during a speech in front of a crowd in Berlin. The typographical treatment serves also as a reference and hommage to the contemporary American (feminist) artist Barbara Kruger, and to Aleksander Rodchenko, the Russian artist, sculptor, photographer and graphic designer who played a vital role during the Russian October Revolution in 1917 which had a great influence on the German November Revolution in 1918, which finally brought the women right to vote to Germany.
Architektur Stadt Münster
Logo for an organisation that promotes architectural events (talks, exhibitions, walks) in the city of Münster, Germany. The shape combines the three dimensional nature of architecture and the ‘show off’ aspects of marketing.
Teaching in Darmstadt and London
We are teaching Graphic Design since 1998. Frank has been teaching Graphic Design since 1999. First as a visiting lecturer at various colleges in the UK and Germany, amongst them Kingston University, Brighton University and Merz-Akademie Stuttgart. Since 2007 he is a professor at the Faculty of Design at Darmstadt University. For student projects and information click here. Billy is an associate lecturer at UAL Camberwell College of Arts (UK) since 2014.
Martin Gropius Bau – Symphony for a Beloved Sun Anish Kapoor
Art direction and design of ‘Symphony for a Beloved Sun’, published on the occasion of ‘ Kapoor in Berlin’, a major solo exhibition by artist Anish Kapoor at the Martin-Gropius-Bau in Berlin. The design anticipates the tension created by bringing contemporary artworks into the classical environment of the Martin-Gropius-Bau. The generously-sized, classical catalogue was stained with red oil paint, given a red cut to the edge, and sewn with a red thread. Maintaining the strict classical grid for all text and images meant that large-scale works stretched across two pages to get the space they needed. Bold lists of work titles served as chapter dividers within the plates section. The 272-page book contains essays by Norman Rosenthal, Horst Bredekamp and Barbara Segelken. Reviewed on It’s Nice That and the Creative Review Blog. Grand Prix winner at the Tokyo TDC Awards 2014, Silver Cube winner at the 93rd annual ADC Art Directors Club Global Awards, nominated for a Yellow Pencil at the D&AD Awards and shortlisted for the Most Beautiful Book Award in Germany.
Darmstadt university lecture series Posters
Poster design for a lecture series at the University of Darmstadt by practitioners who have more than one practice. Playing on the saying ‘A bird never flew on one wing’ the design split the announcement down the middle, also accommodating for a bi-lingual, English/German poster. Sara de Bondt (Designer/Publisher), Kai von Rabenau (Photographer/Editor) and Christoph Keller (Curator/Choice Fruit Distiller) were among the speakers. Awarded at the TDC Type Directors Club Tokyo.
Business to Arts (B to A) visual identity incl. logo and literature
Visual identity for Business to Arts, a Dublin-based organisation facilitating creative partnerships between businesses and the arts. For the logo we wanted to create a mark that was both playful and serious and could happily sit in either a corporate or artistic environment. We merged the initials ‘A’ and ‘B’ in a single ligature, a solution that was bold, simple and anticipated the ‘rough’ treatment the logo may endure in the hands of third parties. Each year, Ireland’s best collaborations between business and the arts are celebrated in an award ceremony. We designed the winner’s brochure for the 2008, 2009 and 2010 Allianz Business to Arts Awards as well as all the other literature for the organization. The design for Business to Arts was awarded at the TDC Type Directors Club Tokyo.
Empathy Museum
Exhibition signage and everything graphic design for the exhibitions and events ‘A Mile in my Shoes’, ‘A Thousand and one Books’ and ‘Everything must go’ by the curator Clare Patey. ‘A Mile in my Shoes’ and ‘A Thousand and one Books’ were organized by the ‘Empathy Museum’.
KBNK Architects Website
Website design of www.kbnk.de for Hamburg-based kbnk Architects. The driving idea was to give the viewer control over the way in which the site is viewed. Case studies can be sorted by type of building, chronology, height, size, cost, or even colour adding a more playful note to the navigation. All images stretch to fit the browser window to use the available space efficiently, while a click on the logo takes this idea further by dropping all navigation entirely.
Bell Helicopter: Blade (CD)
Illustration and design for Bell Helicopter’s CD, Blade. The illustrations play on the album’s title by using a series of helicopter blade diagrams. Bell Helicopter is the musical playfield of artist Conor Kelly.
Frieze Magazine
Design, layout and promotional material for frieze d/e, a bilingual German/English magazine by the publishers of frieze, the international contemporary art and culture magazine. With editing and production based in Berlin, the magazine is published four times a year and offers in-depth coverage of contemporary art and culture throughout Germany, Austria and Switzerland, closely following the international artist communities in this region.
I have nothing to say
Design for a book of interviews with Anish Kapoor for RMN Grandpalais, France. Using an often-quoted statement by the artist for the front cover, we designed the book as a bi-lingual (French/English) edition with two separate front covers. Winner at the Annual Type Director’s Club awards and exhibition 2012, and featured in Typography 33.
Second Hand Records Stuttgart
Visual identity for one of the best and biggest second hand record stores in Germany including stationery, posters, flyer, bags and signage.
Chez Vous visual identity
Development of a visual identity, stationery and promotional literature for Chez Vous, a complete home dining experience in Athens created by French chef Tony Mordelet and hospitality professional Eirene Kollintza. Our design plays with the idea of cooking as an art that brings different ingredients together. Awarded at the TDC Type Directors Club Tokyo Awards and ΕΒΓΕ (Greek Graphic Design and Illustration) Awards.
L'Équipe magazine
Cover design for L’Équipe magazine, the supplement to France’s largest daily newspaper devoted to sports. Published on July 28, 2012, the issue was dedicated to the London Olympics, and Anish Kapoor was asked to design a special artist cover for the occasion. Working in collaboration with the artist, we developed a 3-D pop-up cover of a self-standing form, a 1:1100 ratio model inspired by Orbit at the Olympic Park in London.
Victor & Susie
Victor had broken his shell. So, armed with love and a steady supply of lettuce, Susie decided to nurse him back to health. —A story about caring, mending and letting-go drawn with letters and punctuation marks. A self-publication by Brighten the Corners, awarded at the TDC Type Directors Club Tokyo awards. and reviewed in Creative Review Blog + cool hunting + Designer’s Review of Books. Featured in drawn! + Made & Sold + Selected A + Tokyo TDC Vol 20.
Italian Cultural Institute — Programme
Series design for the Italian Cultural Institute’s programme of events for the duration of four years. To contrast the entirely typographic bulk of the programme, we used the introductory pages as a gallery of images by writer/photographer Dave Foster. Further Italian touches include a generously sized serif typeface for the copy, Latin numerals for pagination, and an elegant pocket-sized format. Awarded at the D&AD Awards and the ADC Art Directors Club Global Awards. Featured In Materials Process Print + Art Directors Annual + D&AD Annual.
Leviathan
Catalogue design for RMN Grandpalais of the Leviathan exhibition by Anish Kapoor for Monumenta 2011. Two hundred black and white pages of drawings, gouaches, architectural models, studio photographs, and writing lifted out of the artist’s sketchbooks, formed the bulk of the catalogue and traced the preparatory work and idea development process. The final pages of the book were used for the full colour photographs of the installed work within the Nave of the Grand Palais in Paris.
Inbox – 10 Years of Brighten the Corners
In 2008, we collected the most positive, the most negative and the weirdest Emails we received from our clients during 10 years in business and created a series of three posters to celebrate our 10th anniversary with them.
Up & Down the Pyranees
For 64 days, during summer 2011, a group of hikers travelled the entire length of the High Route Pyrenees, some 900km in total. Photographer Tim Mitchell joined the journey between Lescun and Gavarnie documenting moments at different altitudes. Clouds, distant walkers, a tent, a dead cow, a tiny flower, and, at the highest summit, some graffiti. We designed the collection of resulting photographs as ‘Up and down the Pyrenees’, using the various levels of altitude as steps in the layout. Printed in an edition of 100 copies.
Italian Cultural Institute Programme
Series redesign for the Italian Cultural Institute’s programme of events. We collected popular Italian sayings and printed them in letterpress with Ian Gabb. For each issue, the director pulled a saying out of a bowl to use for the programme’s wrap-around poster/cover (see below). To contrast the colourful outside, we designed the content as a purely typographic black programme, complete with matching staples. The posters were featured in an article on poster design in The Times.
Stone
Design of ‘Anish Kapoor: Stone’ the first comprehensive collection of the artist’s stone sculptures, dating from the 1980s to the present. The volume was designed as a ‘naked’ 352-page book block, to be extracted from its slip case. Front and back views of works are included where available, on the reverse of pages. The book was published on the occasion Anish Kapoor’s exhibition at the Sakıp Sabancı Museum in Istanbul and includes essays from Norman Rosenthal, Ahu Antmen, Halil Berktay, and an interview with Homi Bhabha and Anish Kapoor. Bronze Cube winner at the 93rd annual ADC Art Directors Club Global Awards.
Giant Writing Paper
Self-initiated, limited Edition, offset, single colour, size: 500×707mm (B2)
In the shadow of the tree and the knot of the earth
Catalogue design for Anish Kapoor’s exhibition ‘In the shadow of the tree and the knot of the earth’ at the Lisson Gallery in London. Instead of representing the sculptures in a traditional way, the artist's drawings (absent from the exhibition itself) are used to set the mood for the publication. The dark and atmospheric drawings form the main content of the 320-page book, preempting the forms present in the exhibition space, which emerge as loosely inserted, full-colour photographs of the work. (Winner at the D&AD Awards 2013)
Giant Writing Paper
Self-initiated, limited Edition, offset, single colour, size: 500×707mm (B2)
Stone
Design of ‘Anish Kapoor: Stone’ the first comprehensive collection of the artist’s stone sculptures, dating from the 1980s to the present. The volume was designed as a ‘naked’ 352-page book block, to be extracted from its slip case. Front and back views of works are included where available, on the reverse of pages. The book was published on the occasion Anish Kapoor’s exhibition at the Sakıp Sabancı Museum in Istanbul and includes essays from Norman Rosenthal, Ahu Antmen, Halil Berktay, and an interview with Homi Bhabha and Anish Kapoor. Bronze Cube winner at the 93rd annual ADC Art Directors Club Global Awards.
April 2021
We have moved the news section of this website to Instagram. If you want to get information on our latest projects (and also on some past ones) please go to our new Instagram channel!
December 2020
We are very happy to see our website design for From Where I’m Standing (the latest project by Empathy Museum) go live this week. 34 people across the UK, ranging from a midwife and a supermarket worker to an undertaker and an anaesthetist were asked to choose an object that has been important to them during lockdown and talk about their experience. The resulting website contains their portraits and stories. The launch will also coincide with a physical exhibition on Dalberg Road in Brixton from Thursday 10th December.
December 2020
Kleinodien — 6 museums by 6 students of Frank at Darmstadt college (Fachbereich Gestaltung, Hochschule Darmstadt) produced over a period of 10 days in October 2020. Here the link to the museum website.
December 2020
Designers are often expected to make things “beautiful” but what does this mean and who decides anyway? Can beauty be an objective in itself, or is the design process informed by something else entirely? This Wednesday 2nd December Billy will give a talk at Central Saint Martins (D102D at 5pm) in which he considers how a similar design process followed in projects for the same client (Anish Kapoor) has lead to very different outcomes – some of which you might even call beautiful.
November 2020
Lots of things in the pipeline but nothing out quite yet... we are currently working on a new website and identity for architectural practice Studio Syn; a publication to accompany Anish Kapoor’s exhibition of paintings at Modern Art Oxford; a soon-to-go-live website for Empathy Museum’s latest project (and travelling exhibition) ‘From Where I’m Standing’; and a book considering the role of method in architecture edited by Jan Silberberger to be published by gta Zürich. We also won another stamp design competition by the German Post Office / Bundesfinanzministerium. The stamp will be published in June 2021. More information on that to come soon.
June 2020
Many things have happened since and before April 2017 (see also our news features below from April 2019, December 2016 and October 2014) when we handed over our files of ‘Uluru and Kata Tjuta Photographs’ by Anish Kapoor to Steidl publishers in Göttingen. One of these many things is that it went into production and is finally out to see in the flesh (more info here). And that’s not all. Another Steidl publication (1188 pages) is due out this September. More info when it exists...
May 2020
We have recently designed the visual identity and website for Same River (formerly Boz Temple-Morris), a company offering storytelling for a wide range of organisations including Accenture, Microsoft, Lenovo and BBC. For more information visit www.sameriver.co.uk
May 2020
Two blogs for courses Frank runs at Darmstadt college (Fachbereich Gestaltung, Hochschule Darmstadt) in the Corona summer semester 2020: www.letsplay.brightenthecorners.com, www.turnturnturn.brightenthecorners.com
April 2020
Our mini website for fashion historian, author and lecturer Elizabeth Kutesko has just gone live. Visit elizabethkutesko.com for more.
February 2020
Since last week we have been working on the marketing material for the upcoming Anish Kapoor exhibition at Houghton Hall which runs from March 29 to September 27. The graphic identity plays with the presence of Anish Kapoor’s mirrors in the house’s Stone Hall and will include magazine ads, billboards, leaflets and the exhibition booklet. Due to the fast approaching publication deadlines, the first ad was already sent out this morning.
February 2020
We designed a small collection of Guardian cartoons by Tom Gauld. It is a postcard-size booklet, twenty-four pages, stapled. You can buy it here.
February 2020
‘Sabotage and Tradition’, the CD we designed for Lakvar (contemporary folk music from eastern Europe), is out. The release concert and party is on the 27th of February in the Laboratorium in Stuttgart.
November 2019
‘Product’, the book we designed for Tim Mitchell and which was published by Kerber has made it on the shortlist of the German Photobook Award 2019.
September 2019
Flyer-poster-programme for a joint venture between the 3 theatres Staatstheater Darmstadt, Mousonturm Frankfurt and the Alte Oper Frankfurt on the topic of heroes (or rather the end of them…).
August 2019
After much digital (and analogue) editing, we have sent the 360-page photographic publication ‘Product’ to print. The book, published by Kerber, is the first monograph of photographer Tim Mitchell, and will accompany his exhibition at the Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art from 31 August to 9 November 2019.
June 2019
Gloria – design of posters, flyer, tickets, etc. for a choir concert with music by Vivaldi, Pergolesi and Rutter in two different churches (St. Johannes der Täufer and St. Stephanus) near the city of Obernburg am Main in Bavaria in October 2019.
May 2019
Our typographic stamp design for ‘Das Grüne Band Deutschland’ won 2nd place in the invited competition by the Bundesfinanzministerium (Referat Postwertzeichen). We are being invited to competitions since 2003. For more information and images see also our portfolio of work.
April 2019
A new job for an old client (designed from our very new studio in Deptford). The latest DAAD/IMLR German Writing Competition 2019, is inspired by the love letters of Queen Victoria and her husband Albert. The deadline for submission is Wednesday, 15 May 2019. More information on the competition here.
April 2019
After a mere 8 years (see also our news entry further down from October 2014) in the making (and a considerable amount of colour proofing), it seems that our epic, 1,184 pages of Anish Kapoor’s architectural drawings, models, renders, plans, and photos of the final works inlcuding their installation may be printed, bound and sent to bookshops in time for the summer. More information on the two-volume publication, ‘Make New Space – Architectural Projects by Anish Kapoor’, can be found on the publisher's website, Steidl.
April 2019
After a mere 5 years (see also our news entry further down from October 2014) in the making (and a considerable amount of colour proofing), it seems that our epic, 752 pages of Anish Kapoor's photographs from Uluru and Kata Tjuta may be printed, bound and sent to bookshops in time for the summer. More information on the two-volume publication, ‘Uluru & Kata Tjuta photographs by Anish Kapoor’, can be found on the publisher's website, Steidl.
February 2019
Just in time for the closing of the exhibition of Anish Kapoor at the Serralves museum on February 17th in Porto, Portugal (yes, the show were a man was injured during an ‘art accident’) we finally have the printed catalogue we designed in the spring/summer of 2018 in our hands (on our chairs). We don’t really know what took the printer so long, nor do we know why the catalogue isn’t anywhere in shops yet. But we do know, that the special thing about this catalogue is, that it gives a very close insight in the way Anish Kapoor works in his studio, starting in 1975 up to 2018.
January 2019
We designed the stamp and the first day cover stamps for 100 Jahre Frauenwahlrecht (100 Years Women’s Suffrage in Germany). The historical image, in conjunction with the typography, reflects the struggle for equality of women at the end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th century (until today). An example of this struggle is Marie Juchacz, the first speaker in front of a German parliament, after women’s suffrage was won. The photo shows her in 1919 during a speech in front of a crowd in Berlin. The typographical treatment serves also as a reference and hommage to the contemporary American (feminist) artist Barbara Kruger, and to Aleksander Rodchenko, the Russian artist, sculptor, photographer and graphic designer who played a vital role during the Russian October Revolution in 1917 which had a great influence on the German November Revolution in 1918, which finally brought the women right to vote to Germany. Buy the stamp here.
November 2018
We designed the poster (A1, offset) for the regular High Noon talks at the Faculty of Design (FbG) in Darmstadt. The topic during this winter season is ‘FbG design partnerships’. The first talk with Riso Club from Leipzig (Christiane Haas & Sina Schindler, faculty alumna from 2013) is on the 4th of December and the second talk with Aether-Design from Heidelberg (Lukas Breitkreuz & Max Hathaway, faculty alumni from 2008) is on the 18th December 2018.
November 2018
Our stamp design for ‘Annemarie Renger 1919–2008’ won 3rd place in the invited competition by the Bundesfinanzministerium (Referat Postwertzeichen). We are being invited to competitions since 2003. For more information and images see also our portfolio of work.
November 2018
(Animated and printed) posters and flyers Frank’s students (Marvin Backes, Yannik Gedaschke, Alexander Kueller, Yannic Merz, Janik Sam) in Darmstadt designed for the High Noon talk of Raw Color (NL) on November 7th at the Faculty of Design.
Oktober 2018
Micro website for Sybille Philippin, mezzo-soprano – an opera and concert singer.
Oktober 2018
Visual Identity incl. logo and name for Milan-based Ksenia Emelianova, a Russian-born artist and interior designer. Micro-website to follow soon.
Oktober 2018
New micro website for ‘High Noon’ – a series of talks Frank organises at the Faculty of Design at Darmstadt University since 2008.
Oktober 2018
We have a new website. It’s our 5th site since we started the studio in 1999. If you are interested in the past you can click on the following links to see our first website from the year 2001–2004, our second one from 2005–2009, our third from 2010–2015 and our fourth from 2016–2018. Our new site is running on WordPress with Lay Theme and is our first site (apart from our very first site) were we haven’t used a programmer but do it all ourselves…
August 2018
The German studio of Brighten the Corners moved to the center of the Bavarian city of Aschaffenburg – close to Frankfurt/Main. Please go to our Info page for the full address.
August 2018
Our most recent book for Anish Kapoor’s exhibition in Serralves, Porto goes to print. All sections are printed except one – now, if we can only get a decision on those logo sizes on the cover and imprint pages... To see more work we have done for Anish Kapoor, please visit our portfolio.
October 2008
We wrote, illustrated, designed and published a children’s book for adults – Victor & Susie. It will be in selcted shops from November 1st. The book can also be purchased directly through this website for £5/€7.
September 2008
We designed and produced 6 different notebooks with 6 different lined patterns and colours. Gold cut on the long right edge of each notebook and golden staples. Comes in a see-through bag. One notebook can be purchased for £3/€4. All six for £15/€20.
May 2008
We received two ADC Awards 2008 (Art Directors Club New York). One for the design of the programme for the Italian Cultural Institute in London and another one for the newsmagazine Accenture Ireland CCD 07.
March 2008
We recently designed the material (A1 poster and postcard concertina) for the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) competition. Deadline for entries is in November 2008.
May 2008
On the 14/5/08 we will give a talk to the 3rd year Graphic Design students at Camberwell College of Arts London. Camberwell college is where both of us, Billy and Frank, met and studied. We graduated there in 1997. It will be good and strange to be back. We are looking forward to it!
April 2008
On the 10/4/08 we will give a talk to the students at the Communication, Art and Design department at the Royal College of Art London.
January 2008
Design of a new programme of events for the Italian Cultural Institute in London. We asked the staff of the institute to collect their favourite Italian sayings, and used the cover of each issue as a fold-out poster to display them. Poster designed with Ian Gabb.