laptop Facet Architects website

Case Study

Facet Architects

Naming, Rebrand, Website Redesign

The principals at Carlson Veit Junge Architects came to us as the fourth generation leaders of their firm, which was originally established in 1951. They were looking to refresh their company brand with a new name, modern logo design, and elevated website — all of which would mark the latest transition of leadership and be able to carry them into the future.

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Challenge

  • The firm was not well known in their market and contended with perceptions that they were in decline and overpriced.
  • They were commonly referred to as “Carlson Veit,” after two partners who were now retired. We needed to establish a new name that wouldn’t require updating with future leadership changes.
  • The brand needed a fresh aesthetic, while retaining the best parts of the firm’s legacy.
  • The current website looked dated and didn’t convey a compelling story or unique positioning.

Facet Architects logo stacked

Facet Architects original logo

Crafting a new identity

In creating a new name, we sought to provide options that felt both modern and timeless, and that expressed the company’s personality and expertise. The final choice — Facet Architects — is an apt representation of their ability to look at a project from every angle to provide creative, real-world plans. The new logo illustrates this through the literal facets of a three-dimensional square with lined and solid halves representing the transformation of ideas into solid forms.

Facet Architects montage identity

Bringing fresh elements

While the website features many industry-standard elements, such as prominent photos of completed projects, we also wanted to ensure users encountered something fresh and unique. The Our Process page walks visitors through the design process with an interactive path of custom, animated icons. Throughout the site, lines and shapes reflect the Facet logo, and more custom icons and animations create visual interest and movement.

Facet Architects web team
Facet Architects web home
Facet Architects web process

Facet Architects montage illustrations

Showcasing expertise

Alongside highlighting their process and wellness-centric design strategy, we looked to spotlight Facet’s expertise through their diverse portfolio of projects. We did this by creating vibrant, streamlined project pages with a large featured photo and a template that could accommodate diverse supporting content — renderings, videos, and photos of varying aspect ratios — while making it easy to post new projects quickly.

Facet Architects web tablet project overview

Facet Architects phones project single

Supporting a grand re-launch

Along with the new brand identity and website, we coordinated Facet’s brand relaunch. This included the design of business cards and letterhead, building and jobsite signage, apparel and merchandise, and marketing collateral such as an announcement postcard, social media posts, press release and print ads.

Facet Architects montage ad postcard

Facet Architects social posts

Facet Architects email announcement

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Results

We developed a dynamic brand that supports stronger local marketing and that allows Facet to tell a compelling and honest story, positioning themselves as a progressive and thriving firm. Through the brand toolkit we created — a collection of brand assets, standards guide, and primary messaging — the firm is able to consistently and professionally communicate their unique perspective and value.

1

page in Google search results for the term “architects, Salem Oregon”

1526

total clicks on rebrand email announcement

A

(98%) score on GT Metrix for website performance and web vitals

Hiring Cardwell Creative was the best decision we could have made. Not only did they help us get over the hurdle of selecting the name, they helped us imagine the future of our company and clarify our goals within this industry, and within our community. This re-branding effort did more than change our name, it helped us clarify who we are, and what we want to do in this world.

Facet Architects logo horizontal

Nicholas L. Wallace Principal, Facet Architects

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