Architects once relied solely on their buildings to build their reputation. But legacy alone is no longer enough to sustain a business. This shift in priorities helps explain why more practices are now refreshing their brand identity making this category one of the most popular and highly contested.
Cutting through the noise to get noticed used to be about beautiful photography but this is no longer enough. This year's winning brands were focused on taking their services and transforming them into something accessible and human with a clear purpose.
Winner, SD Engineers centred their brand around "making the invisible visible' which judges said is an inspired tag line because it perfectly aligns with their supportive, structural role. The same is true of the brand mark, a single semi-circle that turns itself into the “SD” acting as an analogy for engineering itself: solving complex challenges with elegance and economy.
Whaleback, the second winner in the best brand category used specially commissioned woodcut illustrations to convey a warm, tactile connection to the consultancy’s West Sussex locale. This gave the judges the feeling of being enveloped in "a big hug”, said the judges- an emotional connection that is difficult to convey in digital space.
A special mention was given to architecture practice Purcell whose rebrand proves that strength often lies in continuity and confidence.
Known for heritage work, Purcell successfully refined its identity while maintaining its recognisable icon and leveraging its inherently honest mission: "design responsibly for future generations." Judges responded positively, seeing this confident and grounded approach as timely given the industry’s focus on repurposing existing buildings.
