Indian Heritage Centre

Established in 2015, the Indian Heritage Centre (IHC) offers year-round exhibitions, programmes and activities to promote greater public understanding and appreciation of the Indian heritage, arts and culture of South Asian communities in the Southeast Asia region. Featuring 5 permanent galleries that showcases the South Asian communities’ voices, recollections and contributions, the museum serves as an entry point to those who wish to learn more about the stories of Indian Singaporeans and their contributions to the island.

In 2021, BLACK was commissioned to develop a refreshed identity for the Indian Heritage Centre. Building on the existing logo, we developed a comprehensive set of visual language elements to express IHC as the gateway for all who seek to learn and discover the vibrant and diverse Indian heritage of Singapore. Inspired by archways — a ubiquitous motif within Indian culture and architecture — we made the arch a central design element to reflect the brand’s intent. Designed in varying shapes and heights, the arch motif adapts seamlessly across content and layouts, reinforcing IHC’s role as both a cultural hub and entry point into Indian Heritage.

Delicate borders and decorative patterns of motifs and artefacts were also carefully created to reflect the richness and intricacy of Indian arts and craft. A dynamic colour palette of distinctive colours that echoes the vibrancy of Indian culture was introduced to further bring the visual language elements to life.

Together, these elements can be flexibly used as part of a visual language system that cater to different content and applications across online and offline platforms. This flexibility is detailed in a visual language system guide for internal stakeholders and external collaborators, to facilitate consistent usage and ensure that the brand remains impactful across different touchpoints.