This is one of the most artful branding projects I've ever been involved with. I led the brand positioning work and identity development, which earned us the opportunity to explore additional touchpoints within the building.

Living at Via6 put residents in the center of Seattle's most emerging neighborhood. Here, we proposed they'd be at the center of—and contributing to—a unique conversation. That fundamental concept is reflected in the identity and carries through the entire property with a series of distinctive installations.

My team developed the property's signature element—The Chronograph—a 20 ft. x 10 ft. hand-forged, raw steel sculpture that reveals glimpses of digital media. It anchors the Via6 entry experience while providing a visual representation of an up-to-the minute, city-wide conversation: every 60 seconds, the installation updates with live trending topics from a variety of local news sources and social media feeds. Highlights are captured for 60 minutes, creating a visual archive of the current hour’s collective conversation. Images that correspond to trending topics are gathered in a 12-hour tapestry of activity.

For savvy residents, The Chronograph can literally be used to keep time. It's a modern reinterpretation of the "town square" clock tower. The main interface allows users to explore trending topics while The Chronograph records their selections and adds it to the archive. A smaller screen invites users to contribute by posting a photo on Instagram with hashtag #via6. In addition to keeping time, it displays the current temperature, helping residents navigate Seattle’s fickle weather patterns. The color palette evolves from morning to night, reflecting the mood of the hour and beautifully enlivening the space. The touchscreen interface can also pivot to a light sales tool for the property, as well as an information guide about the building and surrounding area.

A diverse collection of voices engage visitors in a conversation about sustainability at Via6. Whimsical or iconic excerpts from poetry, speeches or literature are embedded in discoverable places throughout the building, helping to extoll the virtues of this LEED Gold building.