Faced with the challenge of deciding whether to opt for a traditional style to complement Amsterdam’s 17th Century architecture, or herald a contemporary minimalistic design age, Wieden+Kennedy chose to take elements from both and forge an entirely new identity for the city’s photography museum, Huis Marseille.
The rebrand, which launched in 2019, features a modernised logotype that lies at the heart of the identity, based on the original 17th century letter engraving which sits on the facade of the museum. Wieden+Kennedy then created a new typographic system around this which is applied to all printed and digital elements of the brand. The logotype also has a monogram accompaniment, inspired by the spaces spread across the two buildings, which, the studio claims, is “rich with historic detail but ultimately clear and open.” The identity helps to deliver information about the museum and its shows in a clear, clean and bold fashion.