Greenspace has developed a new identity, bespoke typeface and website for Zaha Hadid Architects. Following a competitive pitch, London based agency was briefed to develop a new identity and website for the internationally renowned architectural practice that would support a growing, ambitious, worldwide brand with a visually inspiring design. A solution was needed that would showcase ZHA's avant-garde designs, breadth and depth of their ground-breaking work and the strength of Zaha Hadid, senior partner Patrik Schumacher and their team of world class architects.
Zaha Hadid Architects is known for creating work that has never been seen before. They are an uncompromising practice with over 300 international staff from 55 nations. "When you have an inherent culture in a business that is all about obsessive perfectionism and critical rigour, you need to present that brand in a way that demonstrates its unique approach and showcases the vast range of work - from architecture, to fashion, masterplans and furniture - to successfully tell the incredible story to the world," commented Adrian Caddy, Founder and CEO of Greenspace.
"People around the globe are curious to know how Zaha, her partners and the company works. We set out to create a coherent brand and website for ZHA, one that would strengthen and reinforce the story of such a visionary practice. We interviewed 30 of their senior associates and designers and asked them what they thought about their company. This gave us a good basis on which we could base ideas and build our approach."
Collaborating closely with Zaha's senior partner, Patrik Schumacher, Greenspace has developed a brand Identity that has a minimal feel. It is inspired by the contemporary material and construction choices employed by ZHA, visualised through the use of varying paper stocks, simple highlight colours and carefully chosen print techniques. "We deliberately didn't want to create a brand identity that would be a pastiche of any of the ZHA created works. We wanted the work to speak for itself, not be over-powered by its brand," Caddy added.
ZHA use a wide range of computer program scripts combined with parametric theory when creating buildings and designs. Greenspace took inspiration from these to create a set of patterns that can be used graphically across communication collateral and to which future patterns can be added as new structures, shapes and forms are developed.
As part of the brand revamp, Greenspace and ZHA's Patrik Schumacher worked closely to develop a bespoke typeface, called Zaha Hadid Sans.
The website acts as the 'ultimate archive' of everything ZHA has done - both built and conceptual - with a CSM system that allows the archive to grow indefinitely. Greenspace has designed it to be a purely visual, never the same twice, mesmeric encounter with the ZHA world.
Containing vast amounts of data, the site is an 'inclusive,' user-friendly experience that pushes the boundaries of other more traditional architectural sites. It enables the user to modify, personalise and dictate relevant content. Built in HTML5, avoiding the constraints of Flash for ease of loading to ipad for example, it captures and exposes everything that is current and ZHA related, worldwide. And it's been designed to be practical, so both students and press can download images, information and biographies about the work and people that make up the ZHA brand.