Colour

Colour gives the brand a clear signal without competing with content. Use named tokens rather than literal values so the same decision carries across sites, documents, presentations, and future media.

Core, accent, and neutral colours#

The core colours establish recognition and reading contrast. Signal orange is the single accent: reserve it for identity, emphasis, and a limited number of intentional actions. Neutrals create the quiet surfaces and structural boundaries around them.

Functional usage#

Text#

Use Near black for primary reading text and Warm paper for inverse text on an approved dark surface. Signal orange is an accent, not a default body-text colour. Do not create a new text colour to solve a local layout problem.

Backgrounds and surfaces#

Warm paper is the default background. Near black and Black create deliberate high-contrast moments; White and Quiet line support elevated surfaces and structure. Keep large colour fields rare enough that the reading surface remains calm.

Calls to action and emphasis#

Signal orange marks the brand, a primary action, a current state, or a keyboard focus. Pair it with a non-colour cue when it communicates state, and do not use it merely to decorate unrelated content.

Web interface colour#

Web colour defines the implementation-specific roles, approved foreground pairings, and WCAG contrast checks for the websites. Use that page for interface work; use this foundation page for decisions that also affect publications, presentations, and other brand surfaces.