I’d lazily assumed that, like jazz document sleeves and Dutch public transport, zoos have been a type of sectors with a visible legacy that’s filled with game-changing model design – the kind that fills the pages of graphic design histories, up there with the likes of Paul Rand’s ‘IBM’ and the FedEx arrow and Alan Fletcher’s gloriously intelligent ampersand trickery for the V&A.
However that assumption was primarily based virtually totally on Lance Wyman’s 1975 emblem, pictogrammatic icons, and wayfinding for Nationwide Zoo in Washington DC, an absolute masterstroke in minimalistic animals that appears as good immediately as ever. However nonetheless, that was half a century in the past.
It seems that whereas there’s a wealth of fascinating stuff on the market about modernism and zoo design with regards to structure – a lot of which is bizarrely closely skewed in the direction of the fascinating however hyperspecific realm of the penguin enclosure – there’s not been quite a bit to put in writing dwelling about with regards to zoo emblem design historical past.
It might probably’t be a simple temporary, although: designs for zoos should stability severe dialog subjects, training, and a pleasant time out. They need to converse to everybody, from scientists on the prime of their educational sport to literal dribbling infants, to buyers, restaurant manufacturers, and native authorities. Few audiences are broader, nor extra wide-ranging of their wants and concerns with regards to design.
All of which makes Chester Zoo’s current rebrand by How&How all of the extra spectacular. As one of many UK’s main wildlife conservation organisations and one of many nation’s most-visited zoos, Chester Zoo wanted an id that might replicate its world affect whereas nonetheless sustaining its core connection to the general public and its mission to guard endangered species.
How&How, then, was challenged with evolving the zoo’s id in a design strategy that remained approachable and family-friendly, whereas additionally reflecting each its wealthy historical past and its rising function as a forward-thinking chief in wildlife conservation.
The entire thing relies across the model concept – ‘Drive for Nature’, which goals to talk to ‘Chester Zoo’s bias for motion and optimistic momentum’.
It completely does all really feel fantastically energetic and optimistic, however it’s additionally in some way quite subtle and timeless. Crucially, it drags the entire feel and look not solely into the current and future however into the realm of the authoritative, subtly showcasing the organisation’s chops with regards to its mission to guard endangered species and encourage motion towards biodiversity loss.
How&How labored with Chester Zoo on the challenge for 2 years previous to its public launch in 2024. The redesign course of included an intensive exploration of Chester Zoo’s historical past, viewers, and conservation efforts, culminating in a visible id that feels each skilled and welcoming, in addition to a brand new web site – ‘a mammoth enterprise’, in response to How&How. ‘The design deliberately mirrors the content-rich attract of streaming platforms: carried out to create a way of abundance and selection by infinite carousels and immersive video content material, which give an invite right into a world of so many thrilling experiences’, the studio explains.
The brand new modular, versatile id system’s adaptability permits it to work seamlessly throughout a wide range of functions, from signage to merchandise, digital property to environmental design. As you’d hope, creatures are all over the place: patterns which can be usually used as overlays all through the id are impressed by the shapes and actions of varied mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and fauna.
And the brand new emblem, shaped of a customized ‘C’, takes inspiration for its uncommon form from that of a rhinoceros horn. This can be a refined however highly effective nod to the organisation’s historical past of supporting critically endangered Jap Black Rhinos by issues like a profitable breeding programme within the late 90s.
How&How labored with foundry Sharp Kind to create a brand new customized model typeface primarily based on Grotesque model letterforms, which use refined prospers to imitate pure iconography like leaves, animal tails, and critter claws.
Whereas the color palette hasn’t strayed removed from the tried and examined ‘inexperienced for conservation’ cliché, it has nuance, incorporating deep forest greens, earthy browns, and wealthy, sunset-inspired hues drawn from nature that really feel contemporary and energetic whereas not being too overtly playful and detracting from the extra severe messaging.
The illustrations are textured and evocative, recalling discipline sketches and scientific drawings whereas nonetheless feeling contemporary and modern. These illustrations complement the zoo’s high-quality pictures, which showcases each the animals and the folks working to guard them.
It’s a neat, virtually editorial model that fantastically balances trying good with training and clearly delineating what’s occurring, and the way – and, crucially, does so in a means that resonates throughout a wide range of audiences, from faculty teams and households to policymakers and conservation specialists.
How&How’s rebranding of Chester Zoo is a masterful instance of balancing authority with accessibility; scientific rigour with a enjoyable household time out to see the bats (God, I like that bat enclosure). It stunned me that the challenge didn’t get as a lot fanfare because it deserved when it first launched, however as with all nice design, its deftness turns into all of the extra apparent over time.
The perfect designs aren’t at all times those that captivate the chattering artistic lessons instantly, a la JKR Burger King (we nonetheless gained’t shut up about that, will we?); as a substitute, we’d wager Chester Zoo’s designs shall be revealing their capability as each useful workhorse and easy-on-the-eye aesthetic model ambassador for a few years to return, worn in by infinite wee footsteps in Froggie face wellington boots.
