Thinkfarm builds Roundhouse identity

Roundhouse, the cultural centre located in London’s Camden, has unveiled its revamped brand identity, designed by Thinkfarm, ahead of the venue’s reopening next spring.

The building, where the likes of the Rolling Stones made their names, is currently undergoing a £28m redevelopment to transform it into an international performance space.

‘A rebrand became essential because, in effect, we are a new organisation and we all felt it was very important to launch as [such] – and we couldn’t do that with the same branding,’ says Clair Chamberlain, director of marketing at Roundhouse.

Thinkfarm created the original identity almost ten years ago. The group had to repitch for the project and was appointed at the beginning of this year. It has scrapped the Roundhouse logo depicting a dome, in favour of a simpler, more flexible logotype, made up of bespoke typography, that is inspired by the architecture of the building.

‘The identity is built up from units, such as semi-circles, that evoke the building’s architecture. It creates a Lego set for further play,’ explains Mark Norton, creative director at Thinkfarm.

Seattle-based digital consultancy Pop is redesigning the Roundhouse website to allow for on-line ticket purchasing and easier navigation. The look will reflect the character of the venue, adds Chamberlain.

The Roundhouse’s first permanent exhibition, a potted history of the venue, has been designed by Atelier Works, which was also tasked with drawing up a wayfinding strategy for the venue. Chamberlain does not rule out the possibility of developing temporary exhibitions in the future. ‘This would need planning but has potential to develop,’ she says.