The Office of Ordinary Things, or “TOOOT” for short, is a unique design and branding agency located on the bottom level of an old Victorian building in Dolores Heights, San Francisco.
It’s evident once you’re inside that it’s not your typical place.
Founder and graphic artist Jonny Black remarked, “We focus on you know working with companies and organizations that are doing something beneficial for the planet, for its people.”
Giorgia Sage, a graphic designer, adding, “There are so many innovative and practical ways to be more sustainable and just reduce the waste.”
The studio where Black and Sage work focuses on social justice, sustainability, and the climate. Packaging is the main concern for design businesses in terms of sustainability and environmental effect.
“One of the main areas with a significant environmental impact is packaging. Either paper must be churned up and recycled into new paper, or trees must be felled. Both require water and energy, and they both contribute to carbon emissions,” Black clarified.
The company takes a thoughtful and sustainable approach to its tools. One of their tools is to consider the sources of their resources.
“Sustainable papers printed in the U.S. versus overseas, to reduce shipping costs and emissions, and sustainable like inks and production, when possible,” Sage stated.
Regarding plastics, they are widely used. The designers are aware of the need to use less single-use plastics.
“You can’t totally remove plastic in parts of the process, but absolutely we’re trying to,” Black stated.
The firm’s youthful founder recently received an early-morning phone call informing him that the designers had been shortlisted for a Grammy Award. They are nominated for “Best Recording Package” on behalf of their client, the beloved folk rock duo the Avett Brothers, who are headquartered in Concord, North Carolina.
The band is interested in sustainability as well.
“That’s why I adore Jonny. Scott Avett stated, “He’s a true hero and advocate, and Georgia is right there with him.”
From his home in North Carolina, Avett chatted with CBS News Bay Area. The design team from San Francisco is very important to him.
“They’re not just incredibly smart. They’re heart-smart. “They have such a brilliant heart,” Avett said.
Eleven of the 17 albums that the Avett Brothers have released were studio albums. The band’s most recent self-titled album is the subject of the nominated recording package.
The recording consists of a number of songs that look for the sacred in everyday life. And that beauty is reflected in the Grammy-nominated packaging.
“The goal is to add depth to the experience and really to bring in and allot you to get lost in the world,” Black stated.
Before developing their concept and presenting it to the band, both designers read the lyrics and listened to the album several times.
Black claimed that initially he was only taking in the melodies and grooves. He boarded an aircraft to meet with the Avett team as planned. He learned about his father’s passing while flying. The designer was devastated.
He began searching for music to help him relax, but nothing seemed to help until he turned on The Avett Brothers.
“And right away, you know, tears? It dawned on me that the record was about loss. Black recalled, “And all the lyrics kind of were crystal clear and really connected with me at that moment.”
When the weekend was ended and he was ready to return home, he informed the Avetts of the news. Scott Avett gave him a hug. Listening to this recording given the circumstances was a significant and impactful experience, Black said CBS News Bay Area.
Simple yet luxurious, the nominated recording package is haptic. There are secret etchings and symbols throughout the piece that relate to the brothers’ individual lives, and the piece is coated in textures. Ancient Bibles served as the inspiration for the red, white, and black color scheme.
The intricacy and profundity of the concepts and messages contained therein are concealed by the design’s simplicity. The album has a lyric book that looks like a book of poetry. The illustration of an untamed forest is close to the Avetts’ boyhood home.
Scott Avett’s illustrations accompany each lyric or poetry, which has its own layout.
“The connection between complexity and simplicity. How can we add as much merited complexity as possible? Avett clarified, “But remembering in nature that simplicity is sort of where we went and is sort of the settling place.”
The recording bundle is now a Grammy nominee.
“This whole thing is so humbling and surreal,” Sage added.
Avett grinned broadly and remarked, “It would be a great honor to win with it with this beautiful work that Jonny and Georgia helped us with,”
Only CBS will broadcast the 67th Grammy Awards on Sunday, February 2, 2025.
Eliot Pierce is a dedicated writer for ChiefsFocus.com, covering local crime and finance news. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for storytelling, Eliot aims to provide his readers with clear and insightful analysis, helping them navigate the complexities of their financial lives while staying informed about important local events. His commitment to delivering accurate and engaging content makes him a valuable resource for the community.