Overview
On the cusp of their 50th Anniversary, Hancock Shaker Village, a National Historic Landmark and a leading museum of Shaker history and thinking, set out to transform their mission and role for the 21st century by dedicating themselves to making the community a vital organization. They asked Studio Two to work with them to bring the brand into alignment with their values and vision, and collaborate on that expression across all their media and internet presence.
Challenge
The village comprises a significant community of stakeholders and a broad, diverse constituency. Layered on that is a long, stable history and an appropriate conservatism among staff, administration and board of trustees. An inclusive, sensitive approach to shaping a design that honored these values but pushed the envelope was pursued by Studio Two.
Solution
Studio Two engaged the stakeholders in multiple vision and values workshops. We listened, queried, and engaged the community in a dialogue about the institution – its history and its future. We embraced the controversies, the conflicting points of view, and we recorded what we heard and saw. Our solution emerged during the design process as an expression of the graphic and typographic heritage of the Shakers balanced with an emboldened yin/yang element that highlights their most significant icon – the round barn, while lending it new meaning as a place of learning and sustainability. Visit the website at www.hancockshakervillage.org.