Responses by Fabio Brigido, head of design, MullenLowe US; Kristen Cavallo, executive director, The Branch Museum of Design; and João Paz, head of design, MullenLowe US.
Background: The goal was to introduce Richmond, Virginia–based museum The Branch as Virginia’s only design museum. We wanted an identity that gave us credibility and creatively lived up to the work shown in our galleries. The audience was purposely broad: creatives, students, brands and visitors who might not frequent museums, because design impacts and influences us all.
Design thinking: Drawn from the building’s design and rooted in our DNA, the identity is timeless. MullenLowe began by studying the building’s blueprints by architect John Russell Pope. The same lines that shaped the house shaped the system. The team looked at modern editorial design and flexible brand identities to make sure it felt current without losing its roots. The result feels connected: Old structure. New voice.
Challenges: Balancing the weight of a historic landmark with the energy of a new museum. We weren’t refreshing a brand; we were building one. Too much focus on the past, and we would lose the feeling of introducing a new museum. Too much focus on the new museum, and you lose the character that makes this place distinct. Using Pope’s blueprints as the base for both the building and the system was what unlocked it. It gave our work a clear and ownable anchor.
Favorite details: The system can change without breaking. Each exhibition or designer can make it their own, and it still feels like The Branch. That kind of flexibility isn’t common for a museum, but it fits our view that design grows stronger when it’s shared.
We’re also proud that the identity doesn’t stop at what you see—it also has a sound. When the team at music company Evil Twin turned the building’s geometry into a musical composition, it gave the architecture a voice. The same math that shaped the house shaped the score. It’s rare for a museum identity to sound like the building it represents.
New lessons: The work didn’t just visualize the mission—it created it. The off-tilt logo showed us what “shifting perspectives” could mean. Once we saw it, we rewrote our language. Strategy didn’t lead creative; they evolved together.
Specific project demands: The hardest part is the pressure museums are under right now. The loss of funding by the Institute of Museum and Library Services was only the beginning. Every week brings new scrutiny—a heist, a protest or a curatorial call made by politicians. However, that pressure also created opportunity. As an independent museum, we can have an outsized voice. Museums are front page news; there’s no better time for us to be clear and resonant. The constraint became a catalyst.
The work gave the museum momentum—more visitors, members and energy. More than that, it showed how design can bring people together, and that is really important right now.
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