With the move to a new office in the Sydney CBD, the Australian Human Rights Commission wanted the opportunity to express what they stood for and if you are going to stand for anything in this life what better cause could there be than Human Rights. BrandCulture were humbled by the opportunity to undertake this project in collaboration with Woodhead International Interiors team, Jones Lang Lasalle Property and Property Advisory Australia.
After the two World Wars and the atrocities that were suffered globally The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was written. Quote ‘Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people’.
This essential text resonates for all employees at this Australian Government department in one way or another. BrandCulture undertook a typographic exploration throughout the new office environment on Pitt Street, Sydney. There was a need for wayfinding and environmental graphics which came together in a successful branded environment.
As you enter the office on Level three you are welcomed by offset hanging black boxes inlaid into a wall of timber beams connecting the floor to the ceiling. Excerpts taken from the declaration, run sporadically from floor to ceiling on the timber beams, full articles are annotated on the black boxes and ‘key messaging’ is pulled out through typographic treatments to identify the importance of certain articles. This same architectural feature links the fourth and fifth floors via an open void stairwell between breakout areas within the office, signifying the need for interconnectivity throughout this organisation.
Meeting room and personnel offices are covered in typography referencing the declaration where two layers combine; a transparent coloured film with a key word or message is accentuated and overlays the full article text. The Executive offices are treated with a white print and ‘key wording’ is pulled out with orange highlights. The AHRC brand identity was realised on an up-dateable star fire glass sign in reception, the brand colour is light blue and so this became the colour used on the public floor, a deeper purple/blue was used for the administration areas and orange for the executive floor.
The Wayfinding concept on the main public floor that houses the two large hearing rooms references famous Australian Human Rights activists such as Sylvia Scott, Truganini, Carol Kendell, David Unaipon, John Pat, William Cooper, Vincent Lingiari, Eddie (Koki) Mabo, Shirley Smit (Mum’ Shirl) and Ruby Hunter. For the rest of the environment room numbers were integrated into the typographic designs on the entry doors for each room. Utility rooms were identified using typography applied to the end sections of door entries so they could be seen from down the corridor.
Featured in AGDA (Australian Graphic Designers Association) Online - view the article here…