The idea for Elliott + Associates’ corporate mark, introduced in 1977, is an ancient Chinese puzzle.
Its challenge is to draw straight lines that connect all nine dots without raising the pencil from paper. People tend to see the outer edge of the dots as a boundary, which in turn keeps them from solving the puzzle. The key is to go “beyond the dots” – extending the line beyond the field which the dots seem to define. In other words, refusing to accept apparent limitations.
The puzzle illustrates our firm’s creative process and problem-solving focus. We believe the best solutions lie in “limitations”. The more restrictive the conditions, the farther (or deeper) one must go to find the unique special ingredient within the problem at hand. The concept begins with the client’s vision. Then we look for more. Is there inspiration in the color of the soil or the intensity of the light? Is the goal to control the wind?
What follows is the challenge of execution. Staying true to a single idea as we confront the limitations of time, resources and circumstance.
For Elliott + Associates, nine is not a destination. It is a process, a milestone, a journey that will continue to lead us beyond the expected. It is the patient search for inspiration. We look for the moment when a powerful idea influences the architecture. When the idea and the architecture align, the human experience is unforgettable.