Wieden+Kennedy creates classic yet contemporary identity for Huis Marseille, Museum for Photography

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.

Pushing full steam ahead, the Amsterdam-based arm of Wieden+Kennedy went on to create a new website, exhibition design and merchandise for the museum too. Each of the exhibitions that the museum is currently holding, or will hold, has been announced with its own printed invitation with a poster campaign plastered around the maze-like city. Such exhibitions as those by Viviane Sassen and Berenice Abbott were just a couple of those included.

And for the group show Infinite Identities: Photography in the Age of Sharing, Wieden+Kennedy designed a one-off publication with essays and works from the artists, minimalistic in its foundation with plain black exteriors yet vibrant and dynamic at the opening of the pages. Social assets were also created with simplicity and motion in mind.

Currently, Wieden+Kennedy are creating all of the elements for the museum’s two upcoming exhibitions which are to launch this September – these will feature works by Vincent Delbrouck and Sohrab Hura.