Brand toolsThe museum had been operating for a number of months when we were approached to assist them. Without a formalized brand strategy, it was difficult for the director to advertise and promote programs, let alone establish a sustainable presence in Chicago’s diverse cultural landscape. Our first project was a small publication exhibiting the mansion in its original context and relating the founder’s vision for historic preservation. We then turned to developing the brand.

We worked on parallel tracks to develop verbal tools. As we researched and wrote, we explored the appropriate visual language for a museum committed to architecture of the past and increasing its influence on contemporary choices about the spaces in which we live and work.

Brand toolsBackground research played a particular role in design exploration. Our recommendation to the client was to approach the project from an original perspective, innovating on period aesthetics, not regenerating them. We looked at prevailing 19th-century type and image and worked within contemporary design principles, bridging two periods.

Brand toolsThe mark strikes a balance between 19th-century aesthetics and a twentieth-century vision for architectural preservation. It reflects the beauty of the restored mansion while looking to today for inspiration.

Brand toolsBrand guidelines

Brand tools

Brand tools

Brand tools