The Azores have always been a place of discovery. Nine islands rising from the vastness of the Atlantic, shaped by curiosity and the will to explore. Today, that same spirit lives on in the Fundo Regional da Ciência e Tecnologia (FRCT), the beating heart of science and innovation in the archipelago.
Created to harness the scientific and technological potential of the Azores, FRCT’s mission is ambitious: to promote knowledge, foster excellence, and take Azorean science to the international stage. To do that, it needed a brand with impact.
That is where we came in. FRCT approached us to refresh its visual identity — to evolve the brand while preserving the trust and credibility expected from a public scientific institution. The challenge was to create a visual language simple enough to endure, flexible enough to grow, and authentic to both the institution’s legacy and its future ambitions.
We began by studying the existing logo and distilling the essence of the brand until only two circles remained, symbols of connection and the four pillars that sustain FRCT’s mission. Between them, we drew the lines that link people, ideas and opportunities.
From there, the system took shape. Two colours, two forces. A deep blue, solid and institutional, evoking trust, collaboration, and the surrounding ocean. And a vibrant yellow, bright and dynamic, the spark of innovation, creativity, and new beginnings.
Together, they form a visual language that is structured yet alive, serious when it needs to be, playful when it can be. A system that adapts, expands and connects, just like science itself.
The result goes beyond the logo. It is a reflection of the Azores’ scientific soul.
