OMHM (Office municipal d'habitation de Montréal) - Image de marque

Discipline : Communication & Branding

Categories : Brand Design / Brand Identity (Creation & Rebrand) : Gold certification

Basalte led the complete renewal of the OMHM (Office municipal d’habitation de Montréal) brand identity. The logo retains the essence of its founding icon—a protective roof over a person—modernized in a geometric style inspired by Montréal’s modernist design of the 1960s. A grotesque typeface, a palette built around a deep blue-grey evoking trust and stability and a bright, positive off-white, complemented by accent colours reflecting the diversity of Montréal’s neighbourhoods, along with a stronger emphasis on the OMHM acronym, complete this transformation. A key player in social housing for more than 50 years, the OMHM manages over 23,000 housing units and 11 affordable residences with services for seniors across the island of Montréal, serving low-income households.

Renewing the identity of a 50-year-old public institution requires a delicate balance: modernizing without creating a rupture, and asserting a stronger identity without alienating its audiences. The main challenge was to preserve the sense of belonging among tenants and employees—more than 900 people, most of whom work in the field—while projecting a contemporary, credible, and positive image. The OMHM acronym also needed to become fluid and accessible to a wide range of audiences, while ensuring the consistency of the visual system across a multitude of operational applications. Finally, anchoring this renewal in Montréal’s heritage provided an essential narrative reference point, helping to legitimize the transformation among all stakeholders.

The project in images