Houston Group’s identity for Sydney’s Oxford & Foley focuses on colourful, typographic contrast

Instigated by Australian property developer Toga Group, Oxford & Foley is the reimagining of Sydney’s Oxford Street; bringing the renowned street together with the parallel Foley Street to form an architecturally designed package of commercial, retail and boutique hotel spaces. Working under the leadership of Creative Director Alex Toohey, multi-city design agency Houston Group took on the job of branding the development; choosing to bring vibrance and typographic intensity to the table to reflect the precinct’s character and avoid the typical visual cues of property identities. In reference to the parallel streets the development sits upon, Houston Group’s solution plays on a theme of contrast. The primary application of which is Oxford & Foley’s wordmark, which is set in the Expanded style of Schick Toikka’s Lyyra – a typeface Toohey tells us they loved for its “bold, loud and open attitude.” The mirrored construction of the wordmark was also employed to fit with Toga Group’s commercial requirements, as in certain cases, leasing agents will be able to flip its hierarchy to cater for their intended audience and position within the development. Drawn from colourful photography of the precinct, Oxford & Foley’s colour palette continues the theme of contrast; utilising shades of purple, pink and yellow alongside abstract textures to capture Oxford Street’s liveliness, pulse and sense of diversity.