Research Studios has completed the re-branding program for London’s Somerset House, one of London’s greatest architectural treasures and today the vibrant site of art galleries, theatre, music performances and many other cultural events. The new identity has been applied to buildings, literature and the venue’s web site. It is based on the rectangular outline of the Somerset House site as seen from an aerial perspective. The tilted shape is proving to be a flexible vehicle that communicates both the history of the site and its very active role in London society today.

Neville Brody: “Somerset House is a number of things, it is a building, a public space, a venue for public events and a home to galleries and restaurants. This combined makes the positioning of Somerset House as a brand quite a challenge. In some cases, it owns an event or a space, and in others it is a partner and secondary to other brands. In all public facing communication it is an event or partner being promoted, and therein lies the problem. How is Somerset House recognized in a primary and secondary sense?
“The verbal identity aimed to solve this through the use of the phrase ‘At Somerset House,’ allowing the building to be branded in conjunction with other parties: for example, ‘The Courtauld Gallery At Somerset House.’ It tells people that they are going to something at a particular place. Rather than presenting two competing brands, they now work together in harmony.”

Nick Hard: “Somerset House is seen as a host, a location and a portal within the city of London where people can escape and experience something different from their normal day-to-day life. The visual identity takes on these ideas. Using the topographic view of the building, the idea of a tilted square became the iconic visual element for the brand. It resembles a portal and the building itself set at a 24-degree angle from the north-south axis.
“Typographically choices were made to add contrast but also to allow flexibility within the brand. For example, events targeted at younger audiences can be tailored within the guidelines as can corporate literature aimed at driving investment or partnerships. Extending the concept of a portal with the ‘At Somerset House’ mark, the square is used to house images on the items such as the web site whilst on event brochures the mark has been cut into differing materials and photographed in-situ.”