zHome
Brand Launch
How do you capture the public’s imagination and create a pathway to a more sustainable form of residential development, which is revolutionary — rather than incremental — in scope?
zHome is Washington’s first
"zero-energy" residential community and one of the most innovative sustainable housing projects in the nation. A pilot partnership between Puget Sound Energy, Built Green, King County, and WSU Energy Program, the project’s primary intent is to demonstrate to the public and the building community – locally, regionally and nationally — the feasibility of, and demand for affordable, practical, yet highly sustainable homes.
Name and Identity
Paradigm-shifting, sustainable, dynamic, inspirational, educational, simply elegant. The list of brand attributes is long and soaring. When you break paradigms, that’s what to expect. Everything about zHome is designed to escalate conversation and elevate emotion.
The name pits two opposing forces—the hard-edged punk alphabetical successor “z” and the warm enveloping tomb of “home”— for memorable effect.
Ever generative dynamic tension is created between the two interleaved organic "cogs", symbolizing the triple-bottom line of sustainability and systems-thinking, and the awe-inspiring life force of renewable energy.
Brand language extension
The visual language utilizes an interplay of blues and greens to subtly signal at once earth, sky, air, water and responsible resource management. The brand’s strong scientific data attribute is summoned with a Periodic Table of Elements visual mnemonic treatment and a “to the power of” lock-up.
Great site design by Design Commission brings the brand to life interactively with the complementary and effective use of bold graphics and white space.
Next project: Earthbound Farm
Previous project: Choice Organic Tea