CRSS Inc.
SERVICES PROVIDED
Corporate Identity/Branding, Marketing Materials, Print Collateral, Book Design
CRSS Inc. was an architecture, engineering and construction management firm with offices and business units around the world, each producing their own design and marketing collateral. As an in-house designer at CRSS, my team was tasked with creating a branding and design system that would give a visual consistency to all items, yet allow each group to customize their pieces to best fit their market and audience.
Print collateral items included marketing brochures, client reports, proposal covers, employee communications, and annual and quarterly reports (pictured above).
"CRSS Stories" Book
This 116-page hardcover book chronicled the history of the two companies, Caudill Rowlett Scott (CRS) and J.E. Sirrine Company, and the merger that created CRSS. Its purpose was to help unite the people from the two companies which were very different in their focus (architecture vs. engineering) and location (Texas vs. South Carolina) and show the similarities in work culture and philosophy of their original founders, as well as explaining what different groups in the company had achieved. Working with information architect, Richard Saul Wurman, as a consultant during the initial brainstorming session, the book was designed to be read on three different levels of skim, scan, and study. As the lead designer on the project, my task was to work with the writer/editor to organize the stories and sift through the wealth of historical imagery to design the book. Budget constraints required the book to be printed in one color. It was perfect-bound, and given to every employee and client worldwide.
Most stories were limited to two pages, typical spread shown.
Some stories were better told with a timeline layout, shown.
The book was divided into sections. Each divider spread included a table of contents for that section and a large photo.