dn&co's identity for Brent Cross Town celebrates 'play' for a new park for London

A joint venture partnership between Barnet Council and Argent Related, Brent Cross Town will incorporate 50 acres of parks and playing fields, state-of-the-art sports and leisure facilities, 6,700 homes and a major new office destination, "setting the standard for large-scale urban regeneration in a post-Covid world," as dn&co puts it. At its heart, will be a focus on sport, play, health and well-being.

dn&co developed the brand positioning, strategy, name, brand narrative, editorial strategy and a visual language to evolve the existing perceptions of the area towards a bold, new idea — a park town for future London.

Previously known as Brent Cross South, the new name, Brent Cross Town, aims to capture the scale and "forward-looking vision" for the area to convey a stronger sense of place. Inspired by the town's unique 50 acres of parks and playing fields, dn&co also developed inclusive brand narratives around the idea of 'play'.

"During our research, we learned that although most adults understand the benefits of sports, only a minority regularly takes part," says Simon Yewdall, strategy director at dn&co. "For many, even the word 'sports' acts as a barrier, a world they do not see themselves in. Building on that insight, we sought out a brand narrative – a park town designed for play.

"The idea of play also resonated with Brent Cross Town's vision as a hub for innovation – a knowledge quarter that, connected with Cambridge and Oxford arc will drive collaboration, innovation and experimentation. It's an invitation to think differently and work with others to find solutions."

The idea of 'play' informed a visual brand language where annotation and illustration come together, with a bold, colourful palette and active photography. Brent Cross Town comes alive online with illustrated animations and pacey films that begin to give a taste of life in this new North London neighbourhood.

"Using play as a mindset for our design work was critical to success — critical to creating an innovative ever-moving, an ever-connecting brand that invites you to come along, welcomes all, and keeps things dynamic," says Patrick Eley, creative director at dn&co.

"Play inspired the use of the swirling, circling, underlining language of annotations. It also informed our colour palette, our choice of photography and the evolution of the Brent Cross Town marque: an x that marks the spot on the treasure map of North London and evokes colliding crossroads where a community comes together to play."