We’ve been working with Kiwi Property branding their new commercial development, Sylvia Tower. This, their second office building at Sylvia Park offers array of facilities and services, designed to promote and serve a vibrant tenant community. Building features will include a range of shopping options, multi-purpose co-working spaces and also feature a five level hotel, with a range of food and beverage options.
The architects Woods Bagot and Peddle Thorp’s vision for the building is that it is a navigational marker, or inhabited ‘lighthouse’ defining a significant place on the map. The location of the building above a former stream of Maori significance is acknowledged in the façade, with subtle shifts in the colour and angle of the glazing referencing the shimmering reflections of water. These variations in glass and cladding forms then create reflections off the building that become scattered and dynamic.
The architects’ vision inspired the brand components. We created a multi-planar linear mark to represent the building. In printed form this is rendered in a holographic foil which shimmers and catches the light, suggesting water.
The Sylvia Tower wordmark is a contemporary balance of masculine and feminine, featuring subtle shifts in widths and form. An abbreviated ‘ST’ icon is vertically stacked to suggest the lighthouse beacon. The wordmark and icon are used in tandem; the icon acting as an anchor for information and defining space. A monochrome colour palette is balanced with accents of natural tan and sand tones to echo the architectural interiors. A generous use of clear space in design communications support an identity system that feels refined and open. The clear typographic system creates an honest tone — creating an approachability that stays true to the architects’ concept.
Within the leasing brochure the two tier form is replicated with a literal change; short insert pages introduce and highlight the project intensions and uniqueness of location.
The result is a brand identity that echoes the ethos of the building itself.
