South Coast Architectural Practice of the Year re-imagines legacy identity
Pictured above: HGP Projects Southampton Harbour Hotel, Alexandra Wharf, Admirals Quay Development at Ocean Village, Southampton. Photo Credit: Shaun Roster
As an architectural practice, it is most usual for the external work we do on our built projects to be publicised and reflected on. However, we believe one of our most influential projects we worked on recently was a company retrospection. During the pandemic, we took an opportunity to pivot; rebrand and build a brand-new website.
A great legacy of work, an established presence on the South Coast and a strong contingency of long serving staff are key factors that have stood us in good stead as a fantastic foundation for many years. However, navigating the business through recent unusual circumstances and multiple lockdowns, like many of us, caused us to consider the way in which we want to continue our practice, evolve and realise an ambition to further promote our creativity in designing, detailing and delivering enduring architecture.
Transitioning the brand
Being established for over 50 years meant our name was not up for grabs, but the time was right to transition the brand to reflect the current leadership and philosophy and how we’ve evolved from a more corporate project-oriented attitude to a more flexible, people-based culture. Not a re-brand as much as a re-evaluation of our company identity, we chose to delve into who HGP are currently to staff, clients, the industry and then address where we want to be positioned in the future.
Reflecting our unique approach
Although we perform a service attributed to many, we are unique in our approach, delivery, and culture. We consider that one of our key strengths that set us apart from others is the value we offer in the experience we provide for clients, so we wanted any new brand or website to reflect this. We worked with London based design company, Praline, who unpicked our current identity and re-built it around core themes and principles derived of our social culture and our approach to working with our people, our clients and our industry. Opening ourselves up to an outside agency, meant that we wouldn’t be just paying lip service to the process but be taken out of our comfort zone to embrace change.
Matching design to our ethos
Understanding the principles of good design and rather than mimic a ubiquitous architectural style, we looked to exemplars from other industries that are highly influenced by design and service experience, such as graphic design and hospitality sectors, to understand how they presented themselves and let how they present what they offer, influence us and challenge any pre-conceived notions.
With a firm belief in the collective, it was important to us to develop a corporate language that demonstrates the open collaborative approach we have with clients and our internal team diversity. The use of lower-case letters and our signature colour is softer, more approachable.
The bespoke font to create the logo is a conscious considered design strategy and demonstrates attention to technical detail. The result is playful artistry reflective of a more youthful HGP. We are pleased Praline were able to develop a logo and identity that is truly representative of who we are now but that also forms a distinct marker in our journey for future generations of HGP.
The Effects of our Re-imagining
The re-imagining of our corporate identity and website is the culmination of internal reflections and a journey of self-discovery during a globally difficult time. The elements of design and detail are emblematic of our strategic shift, allowing our new brand and website to support and strengthen our commitment to our newly defined position, reinforced by industry recognition.
