Case Study

Haven Studio Values Identity

An illustrated set of company values enabling a team of passionate creatives to rally together.

About the Project

Haven Studios is a video game design studio based out of Montreal.

The Haven Values System is a unique visual signature that brings to life Haven Studios’ internal culture values: Kindness, Adaptability, Fearless Optimism and Excellence.

The Values System is an internal messaging device used to rally around the values that brings their team together and sets them apart.

Services - Visual Identity, Illustration, Merchandise Design

Client - Haven Studios

Created at Frontier Design Studio

The Brief

Building on Haven’s existing brand, we were tasked with concepting the visual expression of the Haven Values, crafting brand-inspired assets to make them clear and memorable. The work would culminate in a reveal at Haven’s Annual Assembly, inspiring team members to embrace and embody the values in their daily work. The goal was to design a distinct signature for each value—kindness, adaptability, fearless optimism, and excellence—while unifying them within the broader studio identity through typography, colors, icons, and photography.

Haven brand portal - existing asset and contextual starting point

Haven brand pattern - existing asset and contextual starting point

Concept & Iterations

Taking cues from Haven’s established brand, we used the brand pattern as a starting point. With geometric shapes that build on one another, and always showing the Haven logo portal, we used this as our canvas to develop icons within the Haven portal that could then be integrated with the larger pattern system.

Our approach to colour was inspired by monochromatic and geometric artwork and we also thought about these illustrations as small vignettes into a specific world, much like a stained glass window.

Design precedents

Iterations were a crucial part of the process of creating the value illustrations because we had to ensure that we had gone down every possible avenue of interpreting the brand values. As abstract concepts, these values had to be understood and recognized and for people to feel connected enough to stand behind them and wear them like a badge of pride and honour.

Final iterations

The Values

Kindness that unlocks creativity and success

Early on, we knew that kindness could be represented by forming a heart with geometric shapes within the portal. Using diagonal lines intersecting and semicircles, we created a symmetrical and welcoming icon for kindness. We rounded out the system by illustrating icons for each of the pillars of this value, which you can see in the posters below.

Adaptability to lead and grow with our communities

Adaptability was all about growth, personal, professional and within teams. We illustrated a figure with larger than life ambitions which are represented by the shapes surrounding them. Growing and adapting into new situations and relationships can sometimes feel a lot like shapeshifting, which our figure illustrates.

Fearless Optimism with the courage to think big

Fearless Optimism was inspired by Haven’s world of video games. When thinking of fearlessness, summiting a mountain came to mind. This illustration peeks into the world of someone attempting greatness and reaching beyond what they think they’re capable of. Being courageous, optimistic and fearless leads to embracing unknown and uncharted territories.

Excellence in our people product & process

A medal felt like a perfect way to represent excellence for Haven, celebrating wins, embracing the process and striving for excellence in people, product and process. Along with the colour choice of a celebratory yellow-orange palette, Haven sets the gold standard for their team and sets a high standard for generations to come.