DixonBaxi overhauls British Land identity as company looks to “net zero” future

British Land’s nature-inspired new look is framed by an updated Britannia logo, which loses its battle-ready look.

DixonBaxi’s rebrand of property development and investment company British Land seeks to better-reflect its sustainability agenda with a nature-focussed colour palette and photography.

British Land says it seeks to create high quality, modern and sustainable real estate, focussing on two key areas: campuses, and retail and fulfilment. Its sustainability strategy includes making its whole portfolio “net zero carbon” by 2030 while looking to improve “social value and wellbeing” in the communities where it operates.

According to DixonBaxi design director Karun Agimal, the studio has been working with British Land across its business for more than five years, “developing strategy and placemaking for neighbourhoods including [London’s] Regent’s Place and Canada Water”. Agimal says this new brief presented British Land with an opportunity “to better reflect the agility and energy within the company” across the overarching brand.

While the British Land logo has been retained, the icon has been simplified and implemented across the brand as a graphic motif and framing device. Now “unadorned by the Union Jack motif”, Agimal describes the new logo as “one that feels more open, adaptable and elegant”.

It is used to emphasise stories and “offer a glimpse into life across British Land and the environments they create”, Agimal adds. The photography framed in the new logo features scenes of life across British Land neighbourhoods, campuses, retail and office environments. Agimal says: “The shots have a warmth, tactility and sensory feel, moving from the macro, shallow depth-of-field to wide open shots of people enjoying the spaces.”

DixonBaxi designer Hollie Sanderson explains how the refreshed brand framework seeks to aid British Land in “reflecting and communicating its commitment to sustainable choices”, which is visible through both the photography and the colour palette.

Reflecting British Land’s history, the core palette features hues of poppy red and British Land’s bespoke teal blue. Warm tones inspired by natural environments across British Land campuses make up the secondary colour palette, including forest green, vanilla cream and terracotta peach.

The existing company typeface – the contemporary sans serif Gotham – has been paired with the more traditional ABC Arizona serif. This contrasting combination aims to reflect both craft and reliability, and modernity and refinement while also working systematically to highlight key phrases.

Sanderson says the typography has been designed to feel “choreographed” with a sense on constant forward movement. She adds that the pairing mimics conversation and “balances the values of trust and credibility with a modern edge”.

British Land’s refreshed branding has been launched internally and will be rolled out across all aspects of the company, from investor reports to retail and office to HR. Agimal says it has been designed to “vary in volume from highly reductive and discreet to expressive and bold” and so it can adapt where required.

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  • Tom Hudgens November 29, 2022 at 9:42 am

    Well that looks awful, it doesn’t bear any resemblance to Brittania anymore, it’s just a female form with an edgy haircut.

  • Sarah Dixon December 4, 2022 at 4:38 pm

    Sadly this looks to me like a case study in greenwash.

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