RED.Seeing differently.
RED – Düsseldorf Conservation Center The Düsseldorf Conservation Center is a center of expertise for the preservation, research and activation of art and cultural heritage. The redesign aimed to visually transform this official institute into a global hub for analysis and research, emphasizing the center’s international focus.
We shortened the German name, Restaurierungszentrum Düsseldorf, to three letters: RED. We discovered that this abbreviation works both internationally while referring to the eponymous colour.
Colour is an important aspect of the work performed by the researchers at RED, for example if X-ray, UV or infrared light is needed to reveal artistic techniques. But in this case, RED isn’t red – it’s cyan. We capture this in our overarching design concept »Seeing differently«. After all, RED sees things differently: They see the complete picture in individual parts, the positive in the negative, what lies beneath the surface, and the future in our past.
We used the ideas of examination, conservation and construction as the foundation for the new brand identity. The colour cyan – the ‘wrong’ colour to transport the idea behind the brand – is found consistently throughout the design.
Our new visual identity for Düsseldorf Conservation Center demonstrates what can happen when you make a change in perspective the main idea.
The new logo emerged from the process of taking apart and putting back together. The typefaces Cera Stencil Pro and Cera Pro complete the brand’s consistent look. The cyan pictogrammes used on signage also utilise the same stencil-inspired design. The result: A smart corporate design that focusses on the analytical and exploratory mission of the institute.
RED – Düsseldorf Conservation Center
The Düsseldorf Conservation Center/Henkel endowment is dedicated to the preservation and care of art and cultural heritage. The institute works on behalf of museums, archives and exhibition halls of the state capital of Düsseldorf, regional museums and private clients.
The Conservation Center was founded as a municipal cultural institute in 1976. A donation marking the 100th anniversary of Düsseldorf-based Henkel KGaA played a major role in its establishment. The company’s laboratories perform scientific analyses to support the Conservation Center.
