Building a Brand: The Evolution of a Logo

A logo is a powerful thing. Think about some of the most iconic brands–Nike, Apple, Chanel–and you’ll likely envision the marks that represent them. Much like a building, a well-designed logo serves as an expression of identity and purpose.

Design is, inherently, an act of discovery. That’s why at SHP, whether we’re designing a new school building or helping a client establish their visual identity, our work always begins the same way: by asking questions to understand who our clients are and how they want to present themselves to the world. Our recent work at 3090 Exploration Avenue, a building in Cincinnati’s innovation district, offers a unique approach to this process. Read on to hear from Alex Bireley, SHP’s graphic and experiential designer, about how collaboration, context, and creativity can turn an idea into something memorable.

Direct communication is the foundation of great design. That’s why SHP has built its process around the principle of open and clear communication. Every project, whether it’s a comprehensive master plan or a simple logo design, begins with open dialogue. Conversations with our clients are essential to understanding their vision and goals, leading us to more creative and impactful design solutions.

For Alex, that first meeting with the client is the single most important step. “We really want to hear from them: Who are you? What are your values? Where do you want to be in the future?” he explains. “All those pieces play a part in developing the right brand, building, or experience.”

There’s also a lot of “reading between the lines” during this process, Alex adds. “Sometimes, clients don’t know exactly how to verbalize what they are looking for,” he says. “Our job is to listen and help guide them on that journey.”

Just like buildings, logos don’t exist in a vacuum. To be effective, our designs should feel connected to their surrounding contexts, physical or otherwise.

The 3090 Exploration Avenue project is a perfect example of this important relationship. The building, owned by Cincinnati Children’s, sits in the heart of an emerging innovation corridor, surrounded by landmarks like the University of Cincinnati’s Digital Futures building and the 1819 Innovation Hub–both of which are charting bold paths in technological innovation. Once completed, the 3090 Building will house over 200 researchers and create 100 new research jobs. Along with branding work, SHP was tapped to design the 3090 Cafe, a ‘third space’ within the building that will promote intellectual collisions among researchers, educators, students and the community.

“The 3090 building, and the surrounding facilities, have a lot of bold, geometric character, and generally look quite modern,” Alex says. “The client really wanted the logo to mirror that futuristic aesthetic—to look like it belonged there.”

In addition, throughout our conversations, the client team shared their vision for the future: a broader “Exploration Commons” that would house a mix of innovation-driven tenants. This vision, as well as the idea of exploration, became thematic anchors for Alex as he began to explore different branding possibilities.

Only after listening and research does the creative process begin. “This is where some of the abstract ideas start to take shape,” Alex explains. More often than not, the process starts with words. During the introductory meetings, we’ll identify certain keywords—think bold, modern, discovery—and then start to translate those ideas into visuals. 

In the case of 3090 Exploration Avenue, Alex began experimenting with ways the numbers “30” and “90” could be subtly revealed through shapes and negative space. “With exploration and discovery playing such a key role in this project, I wanted to encourage viewers to look closer and ‘discover’ the identity for themselves,” he says.

From there, Alex explored different combinations of fonts and geometric structures, experimenting with shapes and sketching different variations. Slowly, patterns that aligned with the brand’s personality began to emerge.  

This stage is as much about exploration as the final logo itself. “Designing a logo is an act of discovery,” Alex said. “You try things, test them, refine them—until something just clicks.”

Even with strong concepts, design is never a one-way street; collaboration and feedback are essential parts of the process. That mindset reflects SHP’s broader philosophy: That in design, there are no pre-packaged ideas or pre-conceived notions. Rather, our job is to bring our expertise to the table, educate clients, guide the conversation, and then create something that reflects the desired vision. 

So when it comes time to present design concepts, our approach is always intentional and tailored. Some clients prefer to react to hand-drawn sketches that can be workshopped in real time; others might want to choose from a few fleshed-out concepts. In the case of the 3090 logo, Alex developed three distinct, polished options for the client to react to, including real-world mockups with the logo emblazoned on signage, stationery, and digital properties.

This sort of contextual presentation helps clients make informed decisions, Alex notes. “We really want them to see how the design and their brand ‘in action,’” he says. “They’re not just looking at a logo on a screen; they’re seeing how it lives in the world.”

From there, Alex says, it’s all about the client’s preferences. They might ask for small tweaks or sweeping changes, but the key is to take any feedback with both openness and professionalism–because at the end of the day, “it’s their logo and their identity, not ours.”

For a designer, few moments are more satisfying than seeing a logo come to life. As Alex puts it, “One of the coolest things you can do as a designer is create something that becomes how people recognize a brand. You can’t really beat that feeling—seeing your work out there in the world.”

And soon, the 3090 logo will exist in that tangible way—on the building, in digital spaces, on coffee mugs and business cards, proof of how thoughtful design can transcend the page and become part of the physical world. With the building slated for completion in the spring of 2026, Alex is eager to see how his work fits into the broader identity and building design.

That’s the beauty of branding done right: it doesn’t just represent a project or a product. It becomes part of a larger story. The 3090 project also illustrates how SHP’s offerings continue to evolve. What once began as a supporting service has grown into a fully integrated discipline—one that merges architecture, experiential design, and branding.