Overtone designs order that leaves room to grow for landscape architects
After twenty years in practice, Danish landscape architecture studio 1:1 Landskab had outgrown the identity it launched with, the visual language no longer matched the maturity or focus of the studio it had become. "The previous identity no longer reflected the maturity, focus and personality of the studio or the way they work today," says Overtone founder and creative director Nicolaj Bak. "The task was to close that gap and create an identity that felt more aligned with who they had become, while giving them a clearer and more distinct presence in the field of landscape architecture." Aarhus-based Overtone built the new system around a tension already present in 1:1's own work: the meeting of precise structure and organic growth. Nordic Brief spoke with Bak about the redesign.
Where structure meets the organic
The new identity is anchored in a contrast: a restrained, black-and-white graphic system paired with a logo built from precise typography and softened, irregular edges. The palette stays deliberately quiet so that colour enters the identity through photography instead, landscape imagery blurred into gradients, used where the system calls for colour rather than applied as flat brand colour. "Rather than adding flat colours to the system we blurred landscape architecture images to create an organic way of using colours when needed," Bak explains. The grid and layout system stay fixed across applications, while the logo itself is treated as a flexible element — it can be split apart and recomposed depending on the format, letting the identity shift character without losing recognition.
That same logic shaped how Overtone positioned 1:1 as a studio rather than a large architecture firm. "We wanted the identity to reflect the values and approaches of the two partners who lead the studio. Playfulness, honesty and personality were some of the key qualities we worked with," Bak says. "These are reflected in the balance between a simple, precise graphic system and the softer, more playful elements of the identity. The restrained black-and-white palette and structured layouts create clarity and leave room for professional expertise, while the organic logo and more flexible graphic elements add personality. Together, this creates an expression that feels personal and focused rather than corporate or institutional."
How was that tension of structure and growth translated into concrete design rules?
The logo starts from a precise, structured shape, which is softened by organic edges inspired by the way planted beds gradually take shape and evolve over time. The contrast is also reflected in the colour palette. The identity itself is kept predominantly black and white, creating a structured and restrained framework for the colourful landscape photography. Rather than competing with the imagery, the graphic identity allows the landscapes to take centre stage.
How did you find the balance so the logo could feel alive without becoming decorative or "nature-romantic"?
The balance came from keeping the basic form of the logo simple and precise. The organic quality is introduced through subtle irregularities and softened edges rather than through literal references to nature. This gives the logo a sense of movement and life while keeping the overall expression controlled and understated. Rather than using an direct nature symbol we made an abstraction of how nature always softens things.
Which parts of the system are deliberately stable, and which are designed to shift character across formats and projects?
The layout and grid system provide a consistent structure across the identity, while the logo can be more flexible in certain circumstances. It can be split and used as a graphic element in different compositions, allowing the identity to shift character depending on the format and context without losing its recognisability.
What role does the blur or abstraction play? What can it communicate that a sharp project photo cannot?
Where a sharp project photo is descriptive and specific, abstraction leaves more room for interpretation. It can evoke a mood or feeling rather than simply documenting a place, creating a more poetic and contemplative expression. At the same time, the softer imagery brings a sense of calm and allows the visuals to support rather than dominate the communication.
