A core challenge was that it needed to co-exist with and adhere to the visual identity standards, brand hierarchy, and creative principles already in place at the University of Calgary. In other words, it needed to be a unique identity comprised largely of components found in UofC’s overall visual identity.

An underlying grid system consisting of 30-degree angles was easily the most consequential component of the visual system we developed. This particular grid was an obvious choice for a number of reasons: It’s derived from a visual language of design and architecture (isometric grids utilized to describe how parts of a structure relate to each other) and serves as a framework that can reflect and express the multifaceted, interdisciplinary nature of EVDS. That framework guides the arrangement of elements as well as the form that the elements take on.

Ultimately, this identity system is flexible and allows the Faculty of Environmental Design to have an identity distinct from other faculties as well as its competitor schools, and reflects the nature of its approach to planning, landscape architecture, and environmental design education.