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Design Team:
Hanbury: Alec Yuzhbabenko (AIA, Design Principal), Cam Fullmer (Lead Designer), Morgan Yuzhbabenko (Communications + Public Relations), Lauren Maloney (Communications Specialist), Mario Gandia (Graphic Designer, Visualization Specialist), Jordan Gray (Director of Visualization), Nick Rossitch (Designer), Johnathan Tan (Designer), David Keith (FAIA, LEED AP BD+C, CEO), Pat O’Keefe (AIA, LEED AP, COO, Principal), Keith Storms (AIA, LEED AP, President, Principal, Planner)
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Context
In the midst of a transformative decade, US architecture firm Hanbury has undergone significant growth. What once was a modest 40-person operation has evolved into a dynamic team of 160 professionals spread across eight offices. Renowned initially for their expertise in higher education projects, Hanbury now tackles a broad spectrum of architectural endeavors, solidifying their reputation as trusted partners in the field. Hanbury is dedicated to realizing a future where individuals thrive through transformative ideas that stretch possibilities to their fullest extent. With a new CEO at the helm, they’ve embraced a culture of innovation and growth, shedding old paradigms to embrace new opportunities. This expansion wasn’t forced; it grew naturally from their core values, pushing Hanbury into new territories and solidifying their status as industry frontrunners.
Challenge
Undergoing a shift in leadership and repositioning, simply thriving in a state of progression wasn’t enough. The challenge lay in syncing Hanbury’s internal shifts with external perceptions to ensure alignment and attract top talent. Fundamentally, Hanbury doesn’t sell a product—it offers a process, integral to its identity. Hinging their brand story on this value proposition, Hanbury prioritized maintaining a clear perspective on their unique approach, and their place in the world to effectively communicate their identity.
Solution
Base Design Geneva’s rebrand is a manifesto for Hanbury’s evolution, encapsulated in the idea of delivering stretchable ideas that embody risk, exigence, and connectivity. This new identity is dynamic and adaptable, reflecting Hanbury’s ethos of constant motion and innovation. It features custom-designed typefaces, an extending logotype, motion transitions in images, and a dynamic UX. The new website, built by the Base Digital team using a headless approach with Craft CMS and Next.js, emphasizes creative implementation, ease of administration, reliability, accessibility, and SEO best practices. Dynamic elements like a stretchy logo and immersive navigation through a stream of cards allow users to choose between classic and experience modes. Additionally, three.js enables smooth animations, an internal tool optimizes animation parameters, and Algolia provides accurate, AI-based search results. The Hanbury rebrand and website serve as a storytelling platform, designed to evolve with trends and technology, ensuring Hanbury remains a frontrunner in architecture and design.