Background:
My association with the AIDS residential treatment facility,
Our House of Portland, began back in 1994. In doing an initial
graphics inventory for the group, it was determined there
were no existing digital files for the Our House logo being
used at the time. I was asked to clean up the logo and create
the appropriate digital imagery. That request was the beginning
of a long-term relationship with Our House.
In the late 90's
a redesign of the organization's identity was proposed. I
invested a great deal of time in creating and presenting
possible new logos based on feedback from staff, volunteers
and others. As is often the case in logo redesign projects
- especially with nonprofit organizations - one of the greatest
challenges was to get beyond the emotional attachment to
the old logo design and the question of why it was necessary
at all to change things from "the
way they have always been." The
frustration of organization personnel and myself (especially
as it was being done pro bono) resulted in the new logo project
never being completed.
BEFORE:
AFTER:
In late May of this year, I received an email from the new
Marketing
Director of Our House of Portland. It was a request for any
information I might have on the history of the Our House
logo. There was interest in the possibility of revisiting
and updating the original logo for the organization. Our
House was nearing completion of a new building, on the site
of the previous facility, and he felt it might be an appropriate
time to put a new identity in place.
The font "City of" (based
on the type used by the Union Pacific Railroad and created
by RailFonts) had already been selected for use on the new
building's signage and the lobby donor board. I was asked
to consider using the font for the new identity to give the
image the contemporary look of the new structure, interiors
and other elements of the project. A new Our House tagline, "Inspiring
People with HIV/AIDS to Live Well," was
another element I was to possibly include in the new logo.
I was provided the color palette of the the interior design
firm and painting contractor as an additional reference.
A visit to the nearly
complete construction site provided me with a look at the
new roofline and an immediate visual image of the icon in
my head. I returned to my home studio and completed the logo
concepts. It was decided that using the logo in a vertical
formats, and also making use of a horizontal version might
best serve the needs of the organization. With a few days
to go before the grand opening of the new home of Our House,
embroidered shirts for the staff and volunteers, fridge magnets,
banners and some additional signage were ordered.
Alina's Feedback:
If you go to Our
House of Portland's website, you get a
much better idea of how well Jeff's new logo design integrates
with the modern, yet nurturing feel of the newly redone architecture.
The old logo, while attractive in its own right, doesn't
mesh with the new building as well as Jeff's redesign does.
One immediately recognizes the new architectural and decor
references in this logo. It all fits beautifully.
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