Principal opens design and architecture magazine Ligne to more readers

Ligne, an independent design and architecture magazine from Quebec, Canada, approached Montreal-based design studio Principal for a new look that would help it expand to a wider readership. The brief started with substance rather than form – asking who Ligne is, who it speaks to and what part it plays in design and contemporary living. From its findings, Principal then rebuilt the brand platform, the logo, the editorial layouts and the digital experience. “We kept returning to a simple yet demanding premise: good design should be accessible to everyone, without sacrificing its depth or value,” explains Creative Director & Partner, Bryan-K. Lamonde. “We also needed to accommodate the full breadth of Quebec’s design scene, a vibrant ecosystem spanning established architects, emerging studios, artisans, fashion, food, interiors and lifestyle. The identity called for a flexible editorial platform capable of featuring a profile on a celebrated architect alongside a roundup of local patio furniture,” he continues, “treating both with equal conviction. The tone had to feel warm and optimistic, yet refined and confident enough to earn respect across the design community. By treating every story with the same meticulous care, the platform naturally elevates every contributor.” Principal explored a wide range of directions for the wordmark before settling on a geometric construction that aims to look like it’s always been there. “Because Ligne translates to ‘line,’ there was an obvious temptation to lean on a graphic line, just as the previous identity had,” Lamonde tells us. “Instead, we took the opposite approach, building long-term recognition around the wordmark itself.” Throughout the process, the benchmark was the magazine cover. “The wordmark needed to command the top of the page and remain legible on a crowded newsstand rack,” he adds. “Once it proved itself there, it extended naturally across every other application.” Colour drives the variation between issues, leaving the wordmark as the constant. “By keeping it simple, bold and instantly recognisable, we allowed everything else the freedom to shift around it,” Lamonde details.