CM&D
CM&D is a construction management and development firm with a global portfolio and a collaborative way of working. Their projects are complex, but their approach is personal, built on trust, strong relationships, and close communication with every client and team. They needed a brand that reflected both sides of their work: the scale and sophistication of what they do, and the people-first values that shape how they do it.
Project Goals
Key Services
- Logo & Brand Guidelines
- UX & UI Design
- Content Managed Website
- Business Collateral
- Statement of Qualifications
- Canva Brand Kit
Working with the team at Look North was an exceptional experience from start to finish. We are incredibly proud of the final result and would enthusiastically recommend Look North to anyone looking to develop a thoughtful, refined brand identity or website.
Constance Zimmer
Director of Operations
What We Did
It All Starts With Strategy
Working with our partners, Chatham Strategies we began with brand strategy, learning about CM&D’s values, audiences, market position, and visual opportunities. Their work is complex, but we were able to get to the core of the organization and build our strategy around what matters most: stewardship, collaboration, and professionalism. With a sound strategy in hand, Chatham set off to tell the story with words while we started on a new visual design.
That strategic foundation helped us define a visual direction that felt credible and elevated, while still human, and distinct from the colder, more corporate look common in the construction and development space.
The Logo & Brand Guidelines
From there, we moved into design exploration, creating an identity system that brought CM&D’s story into focus. The final logo mark was built around three key relationships: clients, partners, and the CM&D team coming together around the project at the center.
We extended that idea into a visual language that feels elevated, architectural, and flexible across every touchpoint. To help the team carry it forward, we also created clear brand guidelines covering logo use, color, typography, graphic elements, photography, and everyday document formatting.
A Flexible Platform for a Growing Portfolio
For the website, we designed and built a flexible platform that gives CM&D a clearer way to manage and share their growing body of work. A large project database makes it easy to feature projects across sectors and regions, with oversized imagery and an interactive map helping the scale of their work come through. Built in ExpressionEngine, the CMS gives the team a simple way to publish new projects, case studies, and updates while leaving room for future integrations as the organization grows.
Tools for the Team
To make the new brand easy to use day to day, we created a suite of practical materials for the CM&D team, including a Statement of Qualifications, marketing collateral, Word document templates, and Canva templates.
These tools give the team a consistent, professional foundation for proposals, presentations, client communications, and everyday business needs, without having to start from scratch each time.
Alternate Concepts: The Ampersand
As part of the identity exploration, we also developed alternate concepts centered around the ampersand. The idea was rooted in the collaborative nature of CM&D’s work, bringing people, teams, disciplines, and expertise together to create something greater than the sum of its parts. While these directions ultimately did not resonate as strongly with the client, they were thoughtful explorations of the same core idea: that CM&D’s strength lies in connection, partnership, and the ability to unite many moving pieces around a shared goal.
Built for What Comes Next
The final result is a brand and website system that gives CM&D a clearer, more polished way to share who they are, what they do, and the scale of their work.
Just as important, we built a great working relationship with the CM&D team along the way, based on trust, collaboration, and a shared commitment to getting the details right. We’re excited to keep supporting them long term as their brand, website, and marketing needs continue to evolve.
