The foundation of the lab represents the first major arts and health initiative in the history of WHO – and follows its 2019 report providing evidence for the impact of the arts in preventing illness, promoting health, managing and treating disease. Focused on overlooked and underserved communities, the lab coordinates and shares scientific research, leads outreach activities, and drives campaigns for implementation of the arts in healthcare systems.

Selected for our ability to seamlessly deliver the project from strategy to brand identity, web design and build, we set our ambitions on creating a solution that represents the incredible potential of the lab’s work to positively impact millions of lives. With a digital platform that acts as a central hub for all its activities and knowledge.

We worked collaboratively with the team at the lab to identify their key objectives and challenges. Through stakeholder workshops and in-depth analysis of both the health sciences and arts sectors, we quickly discovered that a clear divide existed between the two. We believed the lab held a unique power to bridge this gap – creating a global community of pioneers connected by a common purpose.

The fusion of art and science came to drive the brand positioning, with the idea that incredible things happen where this connection is made – lives are transformed, communities are healed, and hope is found. We captured the lab's combination of intelligence and imagination in a clearly structured brand model used to inform creative exploration and the development of a website that unites the needs of these polarised audiences.

We translated the brand positioning of ‘where art meets science’ into a visual idea centred on the golden ratio – a concept found across the arts, nature, mathematics and science throughout history. The brandmark uses a simplified graphic symbol representative of this idea, also suggestive of the initial J from the lab’s name, paired with a clean and contemporary sans serif logotype. Providing a distinctive and ownable identifier for the brand, which works effectively when frequently seen in conjunction with the logos of key collaborators.

The symbol is also used as a visual device within layout, acting as window to content as well as inspiring bold, colourful, and interestingly cropped graphics. Its modular connecting shapes influenced a wider design language where imagery from the worlds of art and science come together, demonstrating the two vital components of the lab’s work. Along with messaging that conveys the lab as a thriving hub of activity – a place where evidence meets imagination, where policy advocates meet policy makers, and where changed is actioned.

A vibrant colour palette, clean Swiss Style typography and a diverse range of engaging, expressive imagery support a bold, bright, and optimistic visual identity. Building a brand that provides space for creativity and is full of human warmth, while presenting evidence with clarity and confidence.

The website will be a crucial tool in raising the profile of the lab’s work – sharing details of its global initiatives, providing access to knowledge and insight, and showcasing key partnerships. Using the latest Craft CMS, we designed and built a custom solution that is fully responsive across desktop, laptop, tablet and mobile. A clear site structure allows users to easily navigate across the lab’s different activities – from research to policy insights, case studies, and outreach. Brought to life using hero video content throughout, demonstrating its dynamic nature and human focus.

Our key challenge was balancing the needs of many audiences – artists, scientists, policymakers, researchers, partners, sponsors, active participants and the public – to create an online home for the lab’s diverse and active community. Great flexibility within the CMS allowed us to create highly customisable page templates relevant to different types of content across each section of the site. From functional, cleanly structured designs with clearly signposted downloads for research and policy focused pages, to easily browsable overviews of artists projects, news, and films. Highly visual case studies tell compelling stories of the healing power of the arts, while event pages can be tailored to showcase sponsors and participants, alongside key attendance information.

We wanted to encourage browsing across the full variety of content on offer – starting with the homepage which serves as the site’s ‘front door’. Its bold and bright layout, with engaging use of image and video, captures the positive tone of the brand and the lab’s mission, while providing an introduction to different sections. Across all other pages, we included cross-linking that prompts visitors to continue their journey, and ensures they never reach a dead end.

We also created an interactive activities map that links research, outreach and case study content – pinpointing the location of associated institutions, projects and events, helping to demonstrate the global scale of the initiative.

Through our considered and detailed approach, we have created a platform that is equally engaging and functional, effectively showcasing the full breadth of the lab’s work. Unanimous sign-off from a wide stakeholder group means the site launched with full support from key collaborators. While the intuitive CMS will allow the lab’s team to keep content regularly up to date.