In Veraine Veritas

Ummo’s brief was to brand a place that does not exist—to rise to the challenge of utopian urbanism. And, as important, the client challenged us to make a brand that doubles as an invitation to future residents to co-create the place.

In partnership with the client group, urban planners of Sasaki, and super-smart strategists of Futurebrand, we came up with a guiding value that worked overtime as a tagline: “make what you imagine.” It felt open-ended and inviting, while still tense with anticipation. The brand explored this theme with a wordmark whose letter shapes recall handmade techniques, a grounded color palette, and an unfussy first-person editorial tone that translates well in one of the most linguistically diverse regions in the world. The most striking expression of the brand are the visual scenes, made out of simple, gestural elements cut out against expanses of craft paper. The images instantly communicate the wonder of imagination—and prototyping the future with a pair of scissors and a tube of glue. Infinitely flexible, these scenes inform a suite of materials, including stationery, web communications, look books, and environmental graphics that will grow with the community in the coming decades. Unlike sleek campaigns for traditional real estate developments, Veraine’s brand is inclusive and approachable.