Between Future and Past

The Herzog August Bibliothek in Wolfenbüttel is steeped in history: Once called the eighth wonder of the world, it is now Germany’s national library for 17th-century literature. We created an elegant and contemporary visual identity for this modern center of historical research.

Herzog August Bibliothek Between Future and Past 2018–21

The Herzog August Bibliothek was founded in 1572. By the 17th century, it was said to be the largest library north of the Alps. It houses approximately 1 million media items, including 11,800 manuscripts and more than 400,000 printed books published before 1830, 3,500 of which predate the advent of the printing press. The library also includes several extensive art collections and historical maps, atlases and globes dating from the 16th to the 18th century. Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz and Gotthold Ephraim Lessing were among the many luminaries who walked and worked in the library’s halls.
Today, the Herzog August Bibliothek is a renowned international research institution, drawing academics and scholars from all over the world. Its campus is not only suffused with history but also has a distinctly cosmopolitan atmosphere.
We conducted a number of workshops to assist library staff with the communications aspects of the process. After conducting an in-depth market analysis, we developed a brand strategy and a new brand appearance based on it. We created a broad array of media and printed materials, gave the campus a makeover and built a new website: www.hab.de
After the initial launch, we continued to develop technological add-ons and features to create a fluid interface and keep the website fresh for return visitors.
Like other institutions of its kind, the library is constantly looking for new ways of sharing its cultural heritage in a globally connected world. The current director, Peter Burschel, was appointed in 2016. He and his team are intensely focused on exploring these very contemporary issues.
Our corporate design draws on the color scheme of the library’s main hall, adding stronger shades for contrast. The new logo breaks up the institution’s long name and arranges its letters into a square grid inspired by the order and structure that are essential to every library.
In implementing this new corporate design in various media, we emphasized the contrast between the library’s visually traditional content and the modern look of its color, typography and layout. In this way we highlighted the link between tradition, history and modern scholarship that is embodied by the Herzog August Bibliothek.