Editorial design

Freedom of Thought
Organization: Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI)
Design Team: CIGI In-House Design
Project Type: Research Publications & Visual Identity

Project Overview
Freedom of Thought was a two-year research initiative by CIGI exploring how emerging technologies influence human thinking, autonomy, and freedom of thought. The initiative brought together international experts and communicated its research through 12 policy briefs, two special reports, conferences, videos, and related publications. A dedicated landing page connected these materials, making the research accessible to a broader international audience.

The Challenge
The main challenge was creating one recognizable visual identity across policy briefs, special reports, and conference programs without making them look identical. Each piece needed its own visual character while still feeling part of the same research family. Readability and accessibility were critical, especially for international audiences downloading PDFs from the website.

My Approach
developed a cohesive visual language across the publications, using typography, colour, and layout to maintain consistency while giving each report its own identity.

Drawing inspiration from classical sculptures and their associations with philosophy and human thought, I used human figures as visual metaphors for identity and freedom of thought. Each figure was digitally transformed to reflect the themes of its publication, exploring hidden information, manipulation, and the influence of technology on the human mind. The visual narrative evolved throughout the series, culminating in a robotic figure with pixelated facial features in the final report.

This approach connected complex research themes through a recognizable visual identity while maintaining clarity, readability, and accessibility across the publications.