Route Zero
A journey towards our climate commitment
Client: NOVA University of Lisbon
Agency: NUTS Branding
Creative Director: Patricia Conde
In partnership with EarthWatchers
Route Zero is a NOVA University Lisbon initiative focused on accelerating the transition to a more sustainable future — across education, research, mobility, food systems and the built environment. Designed to engage the entire academic ecosystem, the project needed an identity that was rigorous, credible and institutional, while remaining open, contemporary and engaging for students and external audiences.
In close collaboration with the Creative Director, I worked as the graphic designer on the project, responsible for streamlining the brand identity and translating it consistently across all communication materials.
The Route Zero logo was born directly from NOVA’s existing visual identity. The university’s main icon was reinterpreted and reshaped into a “0”, symbolising the net zero goal of the initiative.
This approach ensured immediate institutional recognition while allowing Route Zero to stand as a distinct initiative with its own voice and momentum.
The palette is anchored in an earthy green, reflecting sustainability, responsibility and long-term thinking. From this base, the system expands into a range of vibrant, energetic colours.
This contrast was intentional: it keeps the initiative fresh, optimistic and accessible, appealing to a broad set of audiences — students, faculty, researchers, staff, partners and the wider public — without losing its academic credibility.
Energy
Water
Circular Economy
Residues
Mobility
Food
Architecture
Icons play a central role in the identity. Derived from the original geometric shapes of the logo, they were extended into a flexible icon set representing the core themes covered by Route Zero.
The result sits between abstraction and recognisability: clear enough to guide understanding, but open enough to remain adaptable across contexts. This system allowed themes to be visually defined and recombined easily across presentations, print and digital materials.
The identity was rolled out across a wide range of touchpoints, including:
Impactful launch presentations to introduce the initiative
All communication materials for the Route Zero conference
A conference goodie bag featuring a Sprout pencil, designed to be planted after use — reinforcing the initiative’s values through a tangible gesture
Visual identity for the special podcast Restless by Nature (translation of Inquietos por Natureza), featuring guests from sustainable architecture, food systems, mobility and related fields
A concluding video explaining the Route Zero journey
Route Zero’s visual system balances institutional authority with openness and optimism. By building directly from NOVA’s identity while introducing a more expressive and flexible design language, the project achieved a coherent, scalable brand that could speak across disciplines, formats and audiences — and support an initiative rooted in long-term change.