Fereos Architects

Fereos + Associates Architects is an international architectural studio working across Cyprus, Greece and beyond. Established in 1978 by architect Dr. Harris Fereos, the studio introduced its first logotype, designed by its founder, as a combination of geometric rectangles arranged in a progression and a custom typeface. The identity remained unchanged for more than four decades.

As the management of the studio passed from Harris Fereos to his son, Pavlos Fereos, the need for a refreshed identity became apparent. The challenge was to evolve the original design without losing its historical value or disregarding the emotional connection its creator had with it. After all, the original logotype was not only a recognisable part of the studio's identity, but also a distinctive example of late-1970s graphic design.

Using the existing characters as a starting point, we developed a complete display typeface, extending the original design into a full set of Greek and Latin characters and glyphs. The most significant change to the logotype was the conversion of its letters into stencil forms. This introduced a practical element: when the time comes to update the studio's signage, the letters can be easily produced using CNC or laser-cutting machines. At the same time, the stencil treatment references the markings and symbols commonly found in architectural floor plans.

Alongside the identity, Fereos + Associates commissioned us to design their new website. Our approach was to bring together the studio's architectural heritage and experience with contemporary technology.

While researching the studio's archive of floor plans from the late 1970s and early 1980s, we came across a distinctive technical typeface used in their drawings: Simplex, originally designed by Dr. Allen Vincent Hershey at the Naval Weapons Laboratory. Although highly technical and modern in its original context, its appearance today carries a certain nostalgic quality.

What caught our attention was its construction. Simplex contains no curves; instead, straight lines are connected to create the illusion of curved forms. This characteristic also makes it particularly suitable for cutting machines. Its original Greek alphabet, however, was poorly developed. We therefore redesigned the entire Greek character set, resulting in a fully functional typeface in both Greek and Latin.

This typeface became the foundation of the website's visual language. Combined with black-and-white photography, detailed technical drawings and custom-designed icons, it transformed the website into an interactive architectural floor plan, bringing together the studio's history and contemporary digital experience.

The website grid was also derived from the original logotype: the series of rectangles arranged in geometric progression that Harris Fereos had designed in 1978. In this way, an element from the studio's original identity became the structural principle of its new digital presence.

Particular attention was given to the presentation of the architectural portfolio. We developed three different layouts for the same page, combining them with thumbnails in multiple sizes. This allows each portfolio page to have its own visual arrangement and browsing experience.

The CMS gives the studio's administrators direct control over this feature, allowing them to select and manage the layouts themselves.