Denver Design Agency Helps Local Foundation Make Global Impact
ArtHouse Design Creates New Brand for the Global Down Syndrome Foundation
DENVER, Colo.—Extending their partnership with nonprofits supported by the Sie family of Denver, ArtHouse Design completed the rebrand phase of a comprehensive brand identity package for the Global Down Syndrome Foundation (Global). The new identity and logo help bring this 9-year-old nonprofit organization to the forefront of nonprofit design and brand awareness nationally and internationally. Global Co-Founder, President and CEO Michelle Sie Whitten hired ArtHouse for its creative and brand expertise and authority in experiential graphic and healthcare design, including theming, wayfinding, signage and donor recognition.
“A big part of our design process is the elevated service we provide — how we listen and help clients achieve their goals, how we communicate and collaborate with complex project teams, and how we uncover and interpret information,” said Marty Gregg, ArtHouse Principal. “We’re not just a branding agency but also experts in the greater design field, and we bring a high level of expertise to this project that gets things done.”
“ArtHouse Design are amazing to work with. Marty, Zach and Aaron really understand how hard it is for people running nonprofits to focus on the important details, and they give us lots of ideas and time to digest and make good decisions,” said Whitten.
ArtHouse Design’s new brand for the Global Down Syndrome Foundation includes:
- A primary logo, with lockups for all of Global’s event and program brands, such as its “Dare to Play” programs with the Denver Broncos and Colorado Rapids, among others, the award-winning Down Syndrome WorldTM magazine and the “21×21” Endowment Campaign, which aims to raise $21M by 2021;
- Brand messaging that defines Global’s mission, vision and values and brand standards that were implemented through workshops with the Global staff;
- Marketing collateral, including stationery and donor presentations;
- Custom code and exterior signage at Global’s new donor-funded, multi-million-dollar office headquarters, featuring two upper-story building identification signs with the new logo, one projecting sign at the main entrance, one wall sign for the Education Center, address numerals and window vinyl logos;
- And supergraphics with inspirational quotes from human rights leaders and self-advocates with Down syndrome.
Founded in 2009, Global is dedicated to saving and transforming the lives of people with Down syndrome through Research, Medical Care, Education and Advocacy. The rebrand coincides with Global’s recent move into Denver’s Cherry Creek business district. They also have a significant presence at Children’s Hospital Colorado, with the Anna and John J. Sie Center for Down Syndrome, and at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, with the Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome, the first academic home for Down syndrome research in the U.S.
“Global is unique in their focus on seeking increased funding for scientific and medical research for people with Down syndrome. We’re honored and inspired to be a part of their efforts,” said Zach Kotel, ArtHouse Associate Design Director. “Using the power of design to transform a brand and help an underserved community raise awareness and support has been the most rewarding part of this project.”
True to its name, Global is increasing its efforts not only in the U.S. but also in Africa, China, Europe and other parts of the world. ArtHouse worked with Global to create a powerful yet approachable identity that symbolizes progress and momentum, as well as diversity and balance. The three strands of DNA in the logo represent the triplication of chromosome 21, called Trisomy 21, the genetic disorder that causes Down syndrome. Bridging the divide between scientific and social, the brand is versatile for a variety of applications; it’s serious and sophisticated when it needs to be and fun and playful when it should be.
Experts in experiential healthcare design, ArtHouse also considered the special needs of the community. For example, people with Down syndrome are typically shorter than average height, so ArtHouse, partnering with ADCON Signs for signage fabrication and installation, placed ADA code-required signs as low as regulations would permit. This subtle yet significant feature helped increase accessibility for anyone navigating Global’s new home. ArtHouse also led an extensive concepting process followed by several rounds of mockups and prototyping to gain insight into ideas before they were implemented.
“With a lot of moving parts, this project has really been a community-driven effort, from our highly collaborative partnership with Global to numerous focus groups with diverse stakeholders,” said Aaron Hilst, ArtHouse Senior Designer. “We appreciate the trust and flexibility we’ve had from Michelle and the project team in using our knowledge and creativity to develop thoughtful, deliberate and meaningful solutions that will help Global continue to grow — and achieve their ambitious goals — for years to come.”
ArtHouse has won numerous industry awards from Graphis, UCDA, HOW and GDUSA for its work on other healthcare design projects, such as Golisano Children’s Hospital in Rochester, NY.
###
Source: The Written Effect, 720.989.1912
About ArtHouse Design
ArtHouse Design is a Denver-based, full-service design firm devoted to the creation of beautiful, thoughtful design. Nimble and versatile, ArtHouse has a wide range of expertise, from wayfinding and signage to branding and identity, from print and packaging to donor recognition. Specialists in designing for and shaping user-friendly, built environments, ArtHouse leads the experiential graphic design community in design implementation for placemaking, partnering with architects, municipalities, developers and interior designers to improve public spaces. For more, visit ArtHouse’s blog and follow their social media channels on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Media Contact
Mindy Viering, Chief Content Officer, (call/text) 720.989.1912, mindy@thewritteneffect.com
Click here to download high-resolution photos.
Click here to visit ArtHouse Design’s online newsroom.