A sense of place

From the start, I was conscious that HIVE needed to avoid visual clichés — hexagons, buzzing bees and bright yellows. The challenge was clear, the brand needed to feel human, approachable and grounded in trust.

I rejected obvious symbolism and instead focused on creating a sense of youthful presence with a human tone. The identity I developed balanced warmth and modernity, giving HIVE a youthful confidence without losing credibility. I worked with typography, colour palette, tone and messaging to create a brand that felt calm, deliberate and distinct.

Every visual choice I made reinforced the sense of community, belonging, and security that I believed was core to the HIVE experience. My goal wasn't simply to make the brand stand out, but to design something that felt essential to the everyday life of its residents — making HIVE less a logo or color palette and more a trusted companion.

The digital experience extended the core HIVE philosophy into practical, everyday interactions. Onboarding new residents, processing payments, managing bookings, and generating visitor access codes were all woven into a single, seamless app. The design eliminated friction — every screen, button, and interaction was considered to reduce cognitive load and foster confidence.

Security features are built to feel natural, invisible, yet reliable. Visual hierarchy, motion, and feedback all work in tandem to make complex processes feel effortless. HIVE’s interface is not just functional; it embodies the same human-centric principles as the brand itself. Residents would experience a system that adapted to their needs, giving them control and clarity, while also encouraging a sense of community.

Although the HIVE brand direction and name were ultimately not selected for implementation, the comprehensive design exploration and strategic thinking that went into this project provided valuable insights that informed the project's continued evolution under a different brand identity. This process demonstrated the importance of thorough brand exploration even when initial concepts don't reach final execution.