Project Lihini just updated its visual branding to better capture the essence of what it stands for. While sharing this amazing milestone, I thought it’s good to discuss everything about Project Lihini: the name, it’s roots, how it came to be and what it means, while also sharing the new visual overhaul of the project branding.

The Branding

In many coastal communities, particularly those in Northern Europe and North America, the seagull is seen as a harbinger of storms. Conversely, in other traditions, a lone gull soaring high in a clear sky is a sign of fair weather and calm seas, a good omen for fishermen and sailors. The bird's call can also be a point of cultural reference. A loud, mournful cry might signal a coming fog or rain, while a series of sharp, quick calls might be associated with clear, sunny conditions. On the other hand, in Sri Lankan poetry, Selalihini (සැළළිහිණි) or the starling, is incorporated in the Selalihini Sandeshaya (සැළළිහිණි සංදේශය) as a messenger.

The name ‘Project Lihini’

The loosely used word Lihini (ලිහිණි) is a Sinhalese term use for a type of bird, most often a swallow, martin or in this case, a seagull. Both the Sri Lankan and Western interpretations, therefore symbolises the project in an ideal way: both as a messenger as well as the bearer of information about the weather.

The New Logo

The logo is also inspired by the Sri Lankan interpretations of birds in wood carvings, especially in the Embekke Temple. These include intricate carving lines in the form of dark lines in the logo. The head and beak strongly resembles a seagull, or a similar bird, while the flowing tail is reminiscent of the clouds. The rest of the body has scales and a lower fin depicting a form of fish-like body, giving it an element of the sea as well. The dot and dash depiction around the subject symbolises the morse code, a reference to the notion of communication or digital information.

Colour Palette

The colour palette was chosen to evoke a sense of minimalism, embracing nature, community and openness. The palette's cohesive and calming aesthetic is built upon a monochromatic scheme of blue-green tones, which are often associated with water, nature, and tranquillity. This choice of colours effectively avoids overly bright or aggressive hues that could be jarring to the user.

• Deepest Tones (#0B4B59, #0D6973): These dark, deep blue-greens can be used for backgrounds, headers, or to represent low-activity or baseline weather conditions. Their depth provides strong contrast, making text and icons easily readable.

• Mid-Range Tones (#37A6A6, #7ED9D0): These more saturated and brighter shades are excellent for visualizing moderate weather conditions, highlighting key data points, or for interactive elements like buttons and charts. They draw the user's eye without being overwhelming.

• Lightest Tone (#D5F2ED): The near-white, very light shade is perfect for representing clear skies, mild temperatures, or as a background for data cards and text fields. Its high contrast against the darker colours ensures a clean, modern look.

This palette also creates a visually pleasing gradient that's both professional and easy on the eyes, making it suitable for displaying various weather data, from precipitation levels to temperature changes, in a clear and intuitive way.

So, what do you think about the new look? Please make sure to follow Project Lihini for future updates. The next article will most likely be about the Project white paper outlining the vision, mission and the values of the project.

Project Lihini