IBM – Smart City Storyboards

IBM’s SmartCity concept envisions a future where technology transforms urban living by addressing key challenges like traffic congestion, affordable housing, and energy efficiency. As the project is still in development, IBM wanted to communicate the broader, optimistic possibilities of a SmartCity without diving into overly specific technical details.

The challenge was to present this innovation in a way that felt approachable and beneficial, counteracting potential concerns about the intrusiveness of advanced technology. To achieve this, I designed visuals that leaned into the bright, inviting colors of IBM’s branding guidelines, balancing warmth with a sleek, modern aesthetic.

The animation's narrative journey mirrors the transformation of traditional cities into smarter ones. The first half employed geometric framing devices—hexagons, circles, squares, and triangles—to convey the limitations and rigidity of conventional urban systems. Set against a dark neutral gray backdrop, these shapes enhanced contrast and allowed the vibrant IBM palette to shine.

As the story progressed and the SmartCity solutions were unveiled, the framing expanded and softened, symbolizing the freeing up of resources and the possibilities unlocked by a connected, efficient city. This design approach not only highlighted the promise of IBM’s vision but also reinforced the idea that SmartCity technology is safe, empowering, and designed with people in mind.

Through thoughtful use of color, geometry, and narrative progression, the project effectively communicates IBM’s vision of a smarter, friendlier urban future.