SOHO

A new home for inspiration

SOHO

Canberra building company Art Group approached CRE8IVE to develop an identity and associated branding for a major apartment precinct along the iconic Northbourne Avenue corridor.

Originally some 150 apartment buildings lined both sides of the road into Canberra; constructed for the influx of public servants relocating as the Capital boomed in the 1960s. However, as time passed many of the buildings became outdated and fell into various states of disrepair.

Art Group purchased a significant portion of this land, with plans to build five separate apartment buildings. CRE8IVE will develop not only the broader precinct brand identity for SOHO, but also the distinctive personalities of the apartment buildings within.

artwork and logo

Naming

Client consultation and careful deliberation saw the name SOHO granted to the precinct. It was inspired by the London and Manhattan SoHo boroughs, which are known for their artists’ lofts and many galleries.

Logo animation

Expression

The logo echoed the original buildings’ shape, with a blocky design inspired by the mid-century modern exterior and symmetrical windows. It was also created to be versatile and made into different formations to provide interesting options throughout the relatively long life-span of the precinct’s creation.

Posters

The linkages between each of the letters also spoke to the brand’s emphasis on connectivity, as well as the way in which the separate apartment buildings will share a common thread through the SOHO precinct.

Construction site hoarding

Core values

As a brand, SOHO successfully links the idea of art and community — both are core to Art Group’s philosophy. In keeping with this core value, the brand deliberately included work by local artists in a range of their collateral and launch communications.

Website

In designing their website, we were sure to utilise the same strategic elements of design along with intuitive information architecture and clean, engaging copy.

Typeface anatomy

Bespoke typeface

The bespoke typeface for the brand again paid homage to the heritage buildings, with sharp corners and strong straight lines that fit within the rectangular shape.

Custom typeface

This custom font rounds out the comprehensive visual identity provided by CRE8IVE for this distinctive and visionary apartment precinct.

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