Clairoux Studio’s organic identity for Canevas effortlessly combines colour, shape and system

Cementing itself at the heart of Quebec, Outaouais’s public event and retail space Canevas, developed by construction company Brigil, promises much for the French-Canadian town – from restaurants, events and boutiques to gallery spaces, cafés and clubs – profoundly led by its critical focus: community. Intending to not only reference but celebrate the space’s dedication to human connection, Montreal-based agency Clairoux Studio came on board to shape its identity; reflecting and embracing community, festivity, affinity and experience through their fastidious attention to type. “The Canevas logo is built around a custom typeface, made in-house,” Creative Director Philippe Clairoux tells us, detailing the process behind the logomark. “It was designed to be bold, condensed, playful and clean,” he continues, setting the tone for the surrounding identity, adding, “the objective was to make a unique typeface that stands out.” As such, the brand strikes a purposeful tone, appearing both contemporary and like it has been part of Outaouais’s legacy for decades. This is accomplished through the strikingly simple graphic approach – combining the logomark with an accessible combination of colour, form and system; alongside Indian Type Foundry’s Satoshi as the supporting typeface. “Its layout combines geometrically-designed characters with letterforms in the grotesk style,” Clairoux continues, noting Satoshi’s warm, welcoming manner. “It balances the very vibrant and playful branding,” he concludes, “and was also a key element to having an impactful identity that people recognise.”