019 Smile Flag

019 Smile Flag

019 Smile Flag is an innovative graphic design project that exemplifies the intersection of typography, symbolism, and visual communication, created by designers Daeki Shim and Hyojun Shim. This distinctive flag design, measuring 1000mm x 700mm, ingeniously transforms the numerical sequence 019 into a minimalist smiling face through clever typographic manipulation, where zero forms the left eye, one becomes the nose, and nine creates the right eye, complemented by a stylized smiling mouth. The design, which earned an Iron A' Design Award in the Graphics, Illustration and Visual Communication Design category, demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of kinesics - the study of nonverbal communication through body language and facial expressions - as conceptualized by anthropologist Ray Birdwhistell in 1952. The flag's creation involved extensive research into emotional symbolism and contemporary emoticon usage, followed by meticulous development through thumbnail sketching and digital refinement using Adobe Illustrator CS6, ultimately produced through digital printing technology. This project, completed in 2015, represents a significant achievement in transforming numerical characters into an emotionally resonant visual symbol, effectively combining functional wayfinding with emotional connection. The design's success lies in its ability to create an welcoming atmosphere through visual elements while maintaining clear brand identity, demonstrating how strategic graphic design can enhance spatial experience and institutional communication.

flag design, visual communication, typographic art, kinesics, symbolic representation, institutional branding

— Adam Dawson

CITATION : "Adam Dawson. '019 Smile Flag.' Design+Encyclopedia. https://design-encyclopedia.com/define/019-smile-flag?E=444567 (Accessed on October 14, 2026)"