Shared Space

Vancouver-based hcma’s rebrand brings to the foreground its unique approach and interdisciplinary communication design capabilities.

Communities are more than the buildings they occupy, but those buildings are an integral part of the community. Shared experiences often take place in shared spaces. We commune under “one roof.” We build a “family home.” However, the community needs, and therefore architectural challenges, are constantly shifting.

For the past 40 years, hcma has been a leader in sustainable, inclusive public building design and are perfectly poised to react and anticipate the shifting needs of communities. With their rebrand, hcma set out to strengthen its community bonds and reinforce its dedication to positive, measurable change. Moreover, by illuminating “architecture + design” from their name, hcma has highlighted the breadth of their design capabilities, which goes beyond bricks and mortar.

Darryl Condon, managing partner, says, “The hcma rebrand and evolution of our communication design offer reflect the need for architecture to look beyond itself for answers to the rapidly changing needs of people and spaces. We are making the design process as accessible as the spaces we create, inviting people into the process so together, we can create lasting change. We see a future where diverse people and institutions come together to answer the complex and interdependent problems that communities face today.”

With their new tagline, “curiosity applied” and a design language that features warmer, humanistic elements, hcma has produced a brand that synthesizes its desire to highlight the connectedness of humans, nature and the spaces they occupy. The new logo combines unique letterforms that come together to make a whole; highlighting the collective nature of hcma, where every individual’s unique skills and strengths solidify the group; not unlike the communities they design for.

About hcma:
hcma designs buildings, brands, and shared experiences that connect people. Because with collective strength, communities can work together to make a difference to the issues that matter.

Collective strength empowers our practice too. Driven by relentless curiosity, we work as one to solve complex problems from every angle. Advocating for inclusive, accessible design that embraces everyone, promotes biodiversity, and minimizes environmental impact.

We’re multi-skilled but driven by a shared purpose: to maximize positive impact. We achieve it by learning from others. By challenging ourselves. And by applying relentless curiosity to create the lasting change we all want to see in the world. hcma.ca