Human Spaces by Design

The challenge was communicating this big goal to everyone: from potential investors and tenants, to employees both in their offices and on their respective properties. Foothold even took this a step further by seeking to provide value to the neighborhoods they are in and eventually encourage other private and public practices to do the same.

With their many and diverse stakeholders in mind, we were able to determine the three drivers of their philosophy that resonated with everyone: they are community-driven, design-driven, and future-driven. Community-driven, because they are doing it not only for themselves but for their community and everyone involved. Design-driven, because their definition of design is more than just aesthetic but also about designing spaces for the use and purpose of the very people they are built for. Future-driven, because it is their vision of better living for everyone that sets them apart—and dare we say, ahead—of other people in the game.

We wanted Foothold's brand identity to capture the freshness and boldness of its vision and approach. We started with a modern take on the classic monogram, a symbol of timeless expertise with a contemporary touch. A building, a structure, hides itself in the angles of the logo, which we paired with a clean sans serif logotype that shares the distinct corner. The Foothold palette is made up of bright, earthy tones. It is equal parts positive and equal parts grounded, perfect for a visionary company rooted in what truly matters. 

The Foothold visual system also includes a literary, textbook-style font to balance the strength of the icon and logotype, and grids inspired by streets and maps as an overarching visual. This visual system is seen across the brands' various touchpoints, both in the space and on the web.

We created wayfinders to help people navigate the different properties, designed with a bit of quirk to brighten up anyone's day. The accompanying community board is designed to be modular, making it easy for tenants and community members to share updates and invites. We also created maps for each neighborhood Foothold's properties are currently in. For Tomas Morato, where Foothold currently has 2 properties, we also designed a signage that will bring even more light and life to the neighborhood.

Early on, the Foothold team brought up the importance of being able to communicate the company's core beliefs and purpose to everyone, especially within their own team. To do this, we designed a brand wall that serves as a reminder of the company's bigger purpose. They also asked us to redesign their internal documents and onboarding booklets to make it easier for employees and tenants to read.

We designed the Foothold site to capture their cohesive vision for their properties and neighborhoods. It serves not only as a portfolio for potential investors and tenants but also as an online resource for their neighborhoods, for the people in it, and for the people beyond.

Today, Foothold continues to build human-centric spaces across the metro in the hopes of making urban living better for its countless residents and workers. In addition to its portfolio of commercial spaces, it is currently developing mixed-use buildings that include residential and office spaces and is planning to create cultural spaces in the near future.