"A beautiful synergy of form and function. hcma truly differentiates themselves from their competitors with this warm, curious and playful approach to its branding, a stark contrast to the more minimalist looks of many other firms. This rebrand is thoughtful and considered ... There is a humanity and tactility in this approach that really brings everything to life and reflects who they are as a company and brand."
— Genevieve Beharry, Judge
"This identity is full of personality and contains a multitude of elements which all very successfully serve to convey the uniqueness and approach of the firm it represents. It’s enigmatic in that it feels entirely organic and spontaneous and yet, there’s design rigour and thinking behind all the shapes, textures and colours selected. I love that there’s room throughout this identity for everyone to find a corner for themselves and yet, it all adds up to a unified, cohesive voice. Whether approached at a micro or macro level, the more I spend time with this identity, the more there is to discover."
— Yen Chu RGD, Judge
The new brand identity moves away from the stark visual conventions of the architectural world in favour of a warmer, more approachable look and feel to reinforce hcma’s commitment to strengthening community bonds. A dominant outer rectangle composed of unique letter forms represents an analogy for hcma: a collective of individuals with unique strengths and curiosities that create a total greater than the sum of its parts. A composition pattern of silhouettes symbolizes the overlap between projects, learning cycles and disciplines. The team has incorporated the brand ethos in other tangible applications across the firm. Canvas notebooks in a range of colours are unique for each team member and standard coffee mugs have been replaced by pieces commissioned from a local artist. The project has been featured on the blog and podcast Brand New and has been covered by Applied Arts, Creativepool, Transform and Dexigner.
CREDITS:
CREATIVE & ART DIRECTOR: BONNIE RETIEF
PRODUCTION LEAD: JUDY BAU
WRITER: JADE BARRETT
ILLUSTRATOR & PHOTOGRAPHER: JACKIE DIVES
VIDEOGRAPHER: INDER NIRWAN
