The Consilience Project publishes novel research at the leading edges of global risk mitigation, governance design and culture. Their content explores the key challenges and existential threats facing humanity, and the underlying problems with current approaches for addressing them. The project is a publication of the Civilization Research Institute, a charitable think tank focused on reducing systemic fragility and advancing new forms of governance and coordination. The primary aim of the project and indeed the articles published is to clarify and reveal the nature of the metacrisis (interlocking, interrelated problems) and enable comprehensive solutions to global problems.

A comprehensive identity system was designed to align with the concept of closure, one of the six Gestalt design principals. The logo with its cut-out sections, collage illustrations, and layered imagery, are all a part of this system. Applied across web, social media and print the identity is designed to further increase our ability to sense-make. That is, visually and conceptually bridge gaps, close loops, read between lines, question and understand layers of content.

The website, which publishes and archives the Project’s writing was designed as a central resource for readers. It allows free access to research that would ordinarily be behind a paywall. Once signed in, readers can bookmark, comment and make notes on articles. With each article published we create a triptych of illustrations, which are designed to break up the long form articles. The illustrations are all deliberately made using collage and three dimensional forms, to further tie in with the identity’s Gestalt principal of closure.

In order to bring clarity to our purpose we needed a design team with an empathetic, creative and strategic approach. Everyone involved in the project has offered vital expertise toward the strategic decision making on identity and visual branding. Our relationship with the team is built on trust, trust in the project and trust in those who have been tasked to undertake it. From the beginning the studio has offered a clarity that can adapt to our many challenges. Their extensive design process has been central to the success of our identity, our online presence and the narrative structure of our essays. Working together we discuss original briefings, sketches, concept development and the realisation and rhythm of our project.

– Jess Webb, Project Director

STRATEGY TEAM
 : Thomas Ermacora, Paul Hughes
PHOTOGRAPHY : Ros Kavanagh
WEB DEVELOPMENT : Ciarán Hickey
TYPOGRAPHY : Bobby Tannam

ICAD ‘Gold’ Award Winner
Best New Brand Identity 2023