Modellus Novus
Modellus Novus is an architecture firm creating spaces that shape and define culture. The New York City-based team is representative of the social fabric of New York City itself: Global in perspective, hailing from 11 countries and four continents, and a team that is more than half women, across all levels of seniority.
MN cares deeply about reconstructing the practice of architecture, creating an environment where people from all backgrounds, perspectives and geographies can not only enter but thrive. The practice is led by an optimistic commitment to designing spaces for the many – seeking to redefine access to exceptional design.
Stockholm Design Lab was invited by MN to be part of their quest–by designing their new brand identity and digital experience. Central to the task was to ensure that the brand experience resonates with who MN are and what they represent–re-framing architecture by being purposefully divergent.
The image language for Modellus Novus is based on the idea of viewing architecture from different points of view – architecture as an aesthetic expression, as experienced subjectively by a visitor, and as a central part of an urban cultural context.
After surviving their first eight years without focusing on their brand or their presence online, there was a need to establish a brand identity system and to create the digital experience–preparing the fast growing firm for the future.
The digital experience for MN has been built from the ground up. Based on the idea of reframing, the site forms an important foundation that allows the practice to present launched projects, as well as streamlining ways of working by utilising the site as a live tool and client portal for ongoing projects.
The flexible frontend and backend system allows for scalability across projects, keeping continuity and navigational clarity at the forefront. Layouts can be adjusted to form unique experiences throughout the site, elevating specifics and highlighting details where necessary. The site is kept alive through the Zone, an ongoing source of inspiration and work in process.
The New York City-based team is representative of the social fabric of New York City itself. MN care deeply about reconstructing the practice of architecture, creating an environment where people from all backgrounds, perspectives and geographies can not only enter but thrive.
The new brand identity is referring to expressions in popular culture with different levels of cultural status, placing the firm in a wider and richer cultural context–beyond the dominating norms in the world of architecture.
“After our team at SDL listened to us more than talked at us, we remember the day that our full name, emblem, and website came to life in front of our very eyes. Though we tried, we could not contain our joy, feeling like someone truly understood what our brand could be and what we were about. SDL ran through a brick wall for us and made miracles happen.”
Jonathan Garnett
Creative director, Modellus Novus