NATURE REDESIGN
In late 2019 Nature unveiled the first stage of a major redesign that has been several years in the making, working in collaboration with designer Mark Porter.
The overall design is influenced by the mid-century Swiss school of rational graphic design, with strong use of grids and typography, prioritizing information design and functionality over decoration, as is appropriate for an information-dense scientific journal. This can be seen in the new research article layout, with key information shown prominently and clearly.
A custom typeface, Harding, has been created for Nature by Commercial Type for a new logo as well as text in print and on the web. Named after the late neurologist Anita Harding, it was designed specifically for science, with a vast set of special characters for equations, from astronomical symbols to African click language. Care was taken to design for maximum legibility in digital environments.
Using Harding as a basis, we have updated our logo for the digital age. While it draws on our history it is engineered to be more clearly rendered on small digital screens.
Nature now has a new accent colour palette based on the Ostwald colour system, developed by nobel prize-winning chemist Friedrich Wilhelm Ostwald (1853 – 1932). His work influenced major artists such as Paul Klee and Piet Mondrian.
We have also updated our style for graphics, with more concise colour usage that improves display of data.
For more:
Review of the redesign in DesignWeek
https://www.designweek.co.uk/issues/21-27-october-2019/nature-magazine-redesign/
Review of the redesign in Folio magazine
https://www.foliomag.com/whats-redesign-3-magazines-retooled-aesthetic-increase-engagement/
Essay in Nature: The design decisions behind Nature's new look
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-03083-5
