Visual Identity for an architecture and interior design firm

Since 2012, AZA has been designing and carrying out high-end architectural projects in the Paris region. Their technical know-how combines heavy remodelling, the intricacies of space redesign with an interior design sensibility. After many years in business, AZA decided to reimagine its visual identity, an opportunity to create a brand that would embody its positioning as a premium agency.

When Graphéine was commissioned, the agency bore the acronym AZ in reference to its founder, Antoinette Zalewski. An initial audit led us to suggest an evolution of the name: AZA for Antoinette Zalewski Architectes. The word “Architectes” reflects the ambition and growth of the firm, which now employs around ten people.

A symmetric trick to embody AZA

This renaming allows for a clever design trick: the ambigram. The design of the AZA initials allows them to be read both ways because of rotational symmetry. It can be read in either direction, and used both horizontally and vertically, without impacting its legibility. The simplicity of this wordmark allows for flexible and efficient use, hinting at the remodelling of spaces, a practice inherent to the architectural profession. The logo consists of a wordmark, which can be used alone or with a tagline spelling out the acronym AZA: Antoinette Zalewski Architectes.

The choice of the typeface Px Grotesk is also a nod to the firm’s sector of activity. This geometric, angular typeface embodies the technicality of the architectural profession, and in particular of its tools: the try-square, the architectural plan… All of this expressed through elegant and aesthetic letterforms. The visual identity is characterised by its sobriety and timelessness, qualities that are consistent with AZA’s positioning.