showcase
brand for a residential complex
A new residential complex will be built in a prestigious, ecologically attractive area of Moscow, not far from Moscow State University
The ambitious architectural project was developed by the UNS studio.
They call it a timeless design that combines heritage inspiration and modern architecture, keeping the focus on the idea of community.
Modern towers connect to a cascade of terraces, celebrating the industrial and intellectual origins of the neighborhood and surrounding a welcoming courtyard that is the heart of the project. Incorporating "in the sky” public spaces and terraced greenhouses, the project will create places to live, work, play and that nurture the growth of a residential community.
Project Highlights:
The challenge
So, I'm dealing with a great project.
Let's Develop a Great Brand!
Research
my role
creative visionary:
discovered the original concept based on target audience's insight, which became the brand’s central theme.
Consider the location
How does it seem to be a natural choice to complement the brand.
This is a historically important district for Moscow - many institutes and the country's main university. Children and grandchildren of great Soviet scientists still live here. And the ecology and proximity to the city center only add value to the district.
Contemplate the product
What does the product already offer to address the audience’s needs?
The architects and the client have already done enough to connect the project with the location - there are nostalgic notes about Soviet courtyards and good neighborliness, the native birch grove, and red brick, which is closely connected in the minds of Russian people with the Kremlin walls. Even the glass greenhouses on the terraces, reminiscent of the greenhouses at professors' dachas.
Define the target audience
Who they are? What are their values, what do they dream about, what is their pain?
I started thinking - who could live here? Considering the history of the neighborhood and the product itself, I would like to see creative intellectuals engaged in intellectual work here. But Moscow State University professors and students can hardly afford such an apartment, let alone an apartment with a terrace. This problem cannot be solved head-on.
But wait a minute, there are people who live by the same values but earn good money! They are IT guys, start-ups, young scientists with an entrepreneurial spirit. This is just the perfect audience for this place and project.
Let's take a closer look at them!
Portrait of the Target Audience
This people is in search of a new apartment.
Highly educated, driven professionals leading dynamic lives, with a strong focus on family and children.
Core demographic: aged 35 to 45
Key traits: intellectual and creative work, ambition and vision, family-oriented values.
audience insight discovered:
Their dreams are tied to the idea of suburban living. They would gladly move into a spacious country home and may already own one.
However, maintaining a dynamic and mobile lifestyle, along with a strong connection to the city and its diversity, is essential — both for them selves and for their children.
dacha autumn
grandpa's apartment in stalinka
grandpa's home office
grandpa's dacha
Courtyard
greenhouse library
living greenhouse
terraces
Soviet Dachas
Soviet panel buildings
Soviet public courtyard
Research with me!
Insight
Wow! Such a beautiful and strong insight!
It is easy to find an answer to it in the product; nostalgic feelings for grandfather's dacha and bright moments of soviet childhood are easily connected to it. It will be nice to write a cool story about the elegant solution to this conflict.
Let's do it!
development
my role
creative visionary:
• coined the name “new academics” encapsulating the essence of the project.
Brand Strategist:
• Developed the brand’s positioning and core ideas.
• Created the brand platform, including its mission, values, target audience, and unique value proposition.
• A conceptualized and substantiated description is a short message that reveals the main USP and creates a mnemonic anchor through a vivid image.
Naming
Initially I searched for names associated with plants and birds because of the botanical diversity at the location and the architects' special attention to bird life in the project.
I was considering words like: botanica, birds&cherry, greenyard, song thrush, forrest (forest and “for recreation” at the same time, well you get the pun)...
Playground in the Forest Courtyard
Greenhouse on a private Terrace
Birdwatching Station
But as I developed the concept and defined project's target audience more clearly, I realized that was not where we should focus, but rather on the people we wanted to attract: who they are; how they are connected to the neighborhood; what their lives are.
And that is how I settled on the name:
Who Are the New Academics?
In values, they are like the “old” academics, but the existence of the internet and new technologies have freed them from dependence on conventional structures.
They are scientists and creative people, highly educated professionals who operate outside traditional academic institutions.
Their world is larger and richer than that of their predecessors, with a scientific and personal landscape that is more diverse and dynamic than the one populated by the academics of the past.
What else does the name suggest?
In Russian, it sounds like the name of a place; saying “I live in New Academics” seems very natural. Also, it creates a very strong connection with the neighborhood and its strong historical associations, and at the same time the word “new” in the name suggests a place that is looking to the future.
Brand Promise
You don’t need to choose between a suburban lifestyle and a spacious Moscow apartment.
You have the advantages of both in “New Academics,” where you dreams can all be realized in a single setting one place.
Brand platform elaborated upon
You will live surrounded by nature, safe and secure, devoting yourself to enjoying intellectual and creative pursuits, happiness and prosperity.
Your focus will not be on striving and boasting and the ostentatious pursuit of grand ambitions but on the pleasure you get from fulfilling both personal and professional dreams.
design brand identity
my role
Graphic Designer:
• Designed the logo, including its basic, extended, and full versions.
• Developed the visual identity, including the color palette, typography, and typeface hierarchy.
• Created branded materials such as business cards, folders, letterheads, notebooks, mugs, and other items.
Brand Identity
Logo & Decoration
While the elements of the logo are consistent, there are endless variations on the art: the size and number of plant illustrations are flexible and you may choose them according to your aesthetic preferences.
Lego like logo!
Creating these compositions is incredibly engaging – give it a try yourself – just drag the flowers!
Color Palette
The primary tone is green. Just as plants come in various shades of green, the conservatory home’s style (what do you mean by “the conservatory home’s style”) embraces a range of green, each beautiful in its own way.
The paper on which the material is printed is never bleached white but always slightly grayish, emphasizing its natural character.
#255959
#4681A6
#BF8450
#F2F2F0
#A64141
Typography
The typeface of “New Academics” is Cofo Sans. It's creators explain:
“Cofo Sans is a clean sans serif with a soul. this is not just another neutral sans. Simplicity in type design is the most difficult task, and yet there are so many sans serifs that are promoted as completely neutral and perfectly universal. Cofo Sans is based on the idea of harmony between rationality and emotion, and between Latin and Cyrillic. It is our perception of a perfect balance between simplicity and personality. It’s not purely geometric, or even based on a specific model. It’s a subtle mix of ideas, creating a solid base for a workhorse Sans, without stripping away the character. It’s simple and pure, and at the same time, you cannot escape the designer’s personal view”.
(I totally agree with them.)
Aa
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Pattern
The pattern can have many purposes - from filling the half-titles of a book or the back of a form to wallpaper on the walls of a sales office.
Items for self-presentation
Now that I have all the elements ready individually, it's time to put it all together. The style is so flexible and expressive that each employee can create their own precise reflection:
production
my role
copywriter:
• wrote the stories of vasily, vasilisa, and vesnushka, making the concept more relatable and engaging.
Creative Director:
• Set tasks for the team: photographer, stylist, visualizer, and web developer.
• Oversaw the results to ensure all elements aligned with the brand’s concept and style.
• Shaped the project’s unified visual language.
graphic designer
• came up with the concept and designed the book about the project.
The Story
The whole communication is based on the story of a family looking for a new home.
It serves as an example of how crucial it is to see real people, their stories, emotions, and dreams behind the words “target audience”.
This story will help us better understand our audience, grasp the brand’s tone and values, and build clear foundations for future communication with the residents of “New Academics”.
Communication that I created is not traditional advertising.
Why is Story Needed?
The story will form the basis of communication. We will shoot a glossy magazine-level photo story about this family, and a collection of stories will be written for a book about the project and the website.
Photo Story
Based on the story and brand platform, a brief was developed for creating a photo bank to support visual communication. The images of people help the audience establish a deeper emotional connection with the brand—and perhaps some will recognize themselves in the photos or even catch a glimpse of their dream.
The Book
The photos will be incorporate into a book that is a vivid exploration of the world of “New Academics,” combining art, storytelling, and design into a seamless narrative.
It is composed of stories about imagined residents in the greenhouse home, their aspirations, and the unique environments they inhabit. These narratives are brought to life with striking illustrations that bridge the line between reality and fantasy, inviting the reader into a surreal yet deeply relatable world.
This book goes beyond showcasing the project; it serves as an emotional gateway, immersing the reader in the dreams and possibilities of “New Academics,” making the abstract tangible and the conceptual personal.
Here, the focus shifts toward the emotional impact and the interplay between technology, creativity, and human connection, emphasizing the aspirational and innovative aspects of the project.
Illustrations
The use of neural network-generated visuals not only highlights the innovative nature of the project but also serves as a binding thread, unifying a variety of visual materials into a cohesive aesthetic. The illustrations capture the project’s duality—where cutting-edge technology meets timeless human values, and where the natural and urban environments harmoniously coexist. Over 100 illustration was created.
Website
The site is entirely based on the brand platform and developed materials – the stories, photoset, visual brad identity. I supervised the creation of the site as a creative director.
Here is what the developers, studio ONLY, say about the project:
We have built a narrative that not only conveys the “New Academicians” brand, but makes it alive and tangible. Instead of a dry description of the advantages, we have introduced interactive and emotional elements that create an immersive effect:
Stories from the characters. The complex tells about itself through the stories of the characters — the family of modern “academicians”. They share their dreams and lifestyle, helping the user to associate themselves with the project.
History of the place. We have added a cultural context: the area has always been closely associated with science and the intelligentsia, which means that a special environment is being formed here, close to the target audience.
Each of these elements strengthens the positioning of the project and helps the user feel part of the future community.
Conclusion
The “New Academics” project is more than a branding or design – it’s a vision brought to life. From the initial concept to the final execution, every detail was crafted to tell a story, evoke emotions, and resonate with its audience.
This project embodies the harmony between urban and natural living, where innovation meets timeless values. through creative strategy, thoughtful design, and a deep connection to the brand’s mission, New Academics becomes not just a place not just to live in but where to dream and thrive.
Thank you for taking the time to explore this journey. It is meant to showcase the possibilities of what branding, creativity, and vision can achieve together. I hope it inspired you to get together with me and create something extraordinary!
credits
such a project could not have taken place without the active and passionate participation of many wonderful and talented people. I want to thank everyone who put their energy and love into the project.
client
glavstroy
management: andrey vasilev
marketing: marina timashova
sales: alexey gusev
architecture
UNS studio, apex
photography
photographer: Masha demianova
visualisation
oak3d, marta pictures, zoa3d
illustrations
UNStudio
eric samigkulov
polina chebotar
evgeny tsoy
short stories author
sasha stepanova
website
ONLY