Interbrand Australia’s monochromatic rebrand of the Sydney Opera House

Interbrand Australia’s work with the Sydney Opera House (SOH) started back in 2014, when the institution needed help in attracting an audience. The opera house found people were visiting, but few were actually going inside. After being set the brief to change the perception of the SOH, the Australian agency aimed to created a visual language that lived up to the iconic building.

Interbrand Australia wanted to inspire conversation around culture and art and help the audience to understand that the building is more than just opera. This brand idea was then translated into a “sculptural form language” to give this shift an identity that could be applied to marketing materials. Acknowledging its unique shape, a compact and simple graphic mimics the SOH’s sails to form a neat logo. The typeface, called Utzon, was designed with Studio Laurenz Brunner and reflects the contours of the building itself. Together they make a subtle and elegant identity, by using monochromatic colours inspired by the building’s exterior. However, Stand Apart has made sure it’s adaptable by letting the performances and shows influence imagery and illustrations that also appear on posters and pamphlets.