Ensuring brand consistency for Sheffield Park and Garden

The client

SPG combines wild, natural beauty with more formal horticulture. The parkland, comprising over 250 acres, is punctuated by copses of trees and acts as a haven for wildlife. Meanwhile, the gardens, laid out with four lakes and a network of paths, are a horticultural work of art.

We work with our client, the National Trust property Sheffield Park & Garden (SPG),

East Sussex, on a regular basis. Projects we have undertaken for them include estate interpretation, way finding projects and print work. We have also design the interior retail and cafe spaces.

The brief

For this project, SPG asked us to draw up a set of Brand Guidelines for the estate.

Project requirements

We were asked to review the various disorderly motifs and emblems that were being used by SPG and how we could adapt them instead or in addition to any other estate details that could be brought in . In summary we should to pull together the disparate assets already being applied across SPG estate and create some rules.

What we delivered

We borrowed two circular icons that were unique to the estate – a Gothic roundel detail taken from one of the garden gates – and a tree ring graphic inspired by the surrounding protected trees. Using these two key indents we were able to distinguish the park and garden in communicating the different stories.

We provided cross platform templates defining how the SPG assets should be used in practice – practical / real examples are often the best way to ensure clarity of expression.

As ever with our National Trust work, it was important that the document worked in synergy with and did not contradict the overarching National Trust brand guidelines.

We hope the guidelines will future proof and further strengthen SPG unique personality.