Entro’s Graphics for Campus1MTL in Montreal Take Inspiration from Habitat 67

Any design-minded student in Montreal will no doubt find inspiration in Moshe Safdie’s timeless Habitat 67 complex—but its legacy doesn’t end in the classroom. Branding and environmental design firm Entro looked to its beautiful Brutalism when devising a graphic identity for Knightstone Capital’s Campus1MTL, an independently-operated student residence within a building by Diamond Schmitt Architects.

“Its intricate units came together to create a unified housing complex,” says Entro partner Rae Lam. “We wanted to represent the flow of energy from the city and reflect it back.” A series of bright small- and large-scale installations does just that, in overlapping geometric patterns of acrylic, vinyl, and print. “We gave the program dimension by layering up the signs, which adds depth to the conventional flat panel,” she says.

Campus1MTL’s brand identity becomes clear from the top of the building and its main entry, Lam explains, thanks to “a bold statement on the underside of the entrance canopy, with a colorful and illuminated motif that’s eye-catching and compelling.” It’s also a good lesson for graphic design students who live in the building to learn. 

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