GRAS

GRAS is an award-winning Edinburgh-based architecture and design practice with a reputation for producing dynamic, timeless and enduring projects. The company was formed in 2020 from the consolidation of two successful, family-run practices, Groves-Raines Architects and Groves-Raines Architects Studio. A strong and cohesive identity was required to communicate the values of craftsmanship and fine detail that continue to define the company’s output as it transitions into a new phase.

Working in collaboration with Scottish graphic designer, Kurt Green (Human Resources), GRAS developed its new identity using elements created for the two original companies by Glasgow-based branding studio Graphical House. The new logotype retains the uppercase typesetting that lends it a bold, contemporary feel in keeping with the studio’s progressive, sustainable and ambitious design approach. The logotype is a unique signature that references the makers marks carved into stone by masons to identify their work. It nods to the past and to the studio’s reputation for outstanding conservation projects, while the clean, geometric Antarctica font used for this updated version reflects GRAS’s focus on the future.

Originally conceived in collaboration with Graphical House, the benchmark marque that replaces the letter ‘A’ in the GRAS logotype can be used as a standalone branding element, for example as a favicon on internet browsers. The simple symbol, with the crossbar of the ‘A’ raised above its apex, has its roots in architecture and recalls the benchmarks used by surveyors to mark a point as an elevation reference. The marque subtly evokes the history of craft and construction in an abstract and contemporary form.

Clear brand guidelines were developed to improve consistency across all printed and digital assets, including stationery, business cards and the new GRAS website. This extends to the consistent use of the Antarctica font, as well as the choice of a pared-back colour palette of black, white and cool grey. The new identity and colour palette are activated through materiality, with premium paper stocks and subtle print finishes providing a tactile experience. Beautiful, inspiring and detail-oriented photography brings GRAS’s work to life, communicating the skill and passion involved in every project. The versatile new identity enables the practice to tell stories about its interdisciplinary output in a clear, consistent and engaging way across various formats.