The Backstory

In 1981, I swallowed a Danish coin.

I was two years old. My parents rushed me to Haykel Hospital, where the founder and head surgeon operated to remove it. Maybe the surgery wasn’t totally necessary, but it was a different time. 

Nearly four decades later, I returned. This time, not as a patient, but as a collaborator.

The hospital was preparing for its 50th anniversary and needed a full rebrand. From the logo to the name itself, everything was on the table.

The Challenge

Haykel Hospital had grown into one of the most respected medical institutions in North Lebanon. But their visual identity hadn’t grown with them.

Their logo, designed in 1969, was a cedar tree. Symbolic, yes, but it no longer reflected who they had become. The board was also considering changing the name to “Haykel Medical Center,” following a naming trend at the time. This would have most likely become an acronym, HMC.

That didn’t feel right.

The Strategy

I came with research, perspective, and respect for the institution’s legacy.

The name “Hospital” carried clarity, trust, and meaning, especially in Arabic. It was known. It was respected. It didn’t need to be changed. I presented insights and context to help shift the conversation. And it worked.

We dropped the founder’s first name and  kept the family name. We switched the name from French (Hopital Haykel) to English (Haykel Hospital) to emphasize the family name first.  Then we reimagined the identity from the ground up.

The Design

The design challenge was to create something bold, clear, and meaningful — in both Arabic and English. The applications were many and this had to work across a large number of touch points. Simplicity was key.

I designed a monogram using the lighter Arabic version of “H” and the Latin “H”. The Arabic form crowns the English one, symbolizing care, leadership, and cultural pride. It’s simple, bilingual, and timeless.

The new identity was rolled out across signage, uniforms, and communication materials, bringing new clarity to a trusted name in healthcare.

The Result

The rebrand was embraced internally and externally. The identity now reflects the scale and quality of Haykel Hospital’s work, while honoring its deep roots in the community.

For me, it was a design project with a personal connection. From a hospital bed in 1981 to a strategy session in 2019.

Still proud of the scar. Even prouder of the work.