Mullenlowe Design Studio Turns Century-Old Blueprint Into Modern Identity for The Branch Museum

The Branch Museum of Design has unveiled a new visual identity created by MullenLowe Design Studio (MLDS), recognised globally for its concept-driven craft.

The Branch is a modern museum housed inside a century-old Tudor mansion designed by John Russell Pope, the architect behind the Jefferson Memorial, and its new identity infuses architectural elements into a modern story.

A Museum Designed To Adapt

Under executive director Kristen Cavallo, a 30-year veteran of the advertising industry, and Katie Hoak, the director of marketing and a Wieden+Kennedy alum, the team is redefining how cultural spaces build their own narratives. Museums are under pressure - being scrutinised and even censored - and the old playbook doesn’t work anymore.

“We think of The Branch not as an institution, but as a brand, and asked for a visual identity that would make us unmissable and unmistakable,” Kristen said. “When MLDS brought forward Pope’s 1919 architecture to our 2025 identity, we knew we had something special. They captured the entire conceptual leap, from physical form to brand form.”

The Mark

The new logo draws on the museum’s original blueprints. Three steep gables merge into a sculptural 'B' that feels both structural and conceptual. When rotated, it becomes a house - a nod to The Branch as a home for design. Its off-centre stance invites a shift in perspective - something good design inspires - reflecting both Richmond’s evolving spirit and the artists and visitors who inhabit its galleries.

“We wanted to tell a single, connected story, one that ties together this building, this city and this museum,” Katie said. “Design, for us, is about meaning, not ornament. Every choice should reflect who we are and why we exist. With so few museums dedicated to design in the country, our own identity needed to embody the same thoughtfulness we ask of the work on our walls.”

A Living System

MLDS developed a flexible design language spanning logo, wayfinding, signage, merchandise and digital platforms. Its open palette and modular structure create an adaptive canvas defined by the artists The Branch celebrates.

To extend the work into sound, MLDS partnered with Brazilian studio Evil Twin to create The Branch’s first sonic identity, a composition that transformed the repetition of forms - arches, gables, window grids and angles - into musical fractals, giving the architecture a voice.

“All architecture is math. All music is math,” said João Paz, head of design at MLDS. “It’s as if The Branch itself composed this track. It all aligned beautifully, connecting Pope’s architectural rigor to the museum’s new identity; we turned structure into story.”

Think Like a Brand

Museums remain vital engines of economic development and community enrichment. As public confidence erodes, museums preserve truth and expand perspectives. But to endure, they must think like brands.

The next wave of museum growth won’t be driven by philanthropy alone, it will come from marketing, collaboration and the kind of brand alliances that create culture.