SomeOne designs a simpler, more coherent visual identity for UK Parliament

The first digitally-led visual identity for UK Parliament has been unveiled, which includes easier access to the institution’s online platforms as well as a new, simpler logo. The design has also changed the name from Houses of Parliament to UK Parliament in a bid to highlight its constitutional purpose rather than the building itself.

The design was conceptualised and executed by the London-based design studio SomeOne. The company has previously worked on branding the property management company Student Roost, New York’s Spy Museum Skyscape and the central London neighbourhood King’s Cross.

UK Parliament’s identity overhaul includes changes to typefaces, website guidelines, suite icons and responsive templates in order to create a more coherent brand across the public-facing services which require a consistent parliamentary identity. The House of Commons and House of Lords will continue to use their own, existing visual identities. The new logo, for example, features an upgraded portcullis – Parliament’s big, grated gate – alongside the clear sans serif font. Consistency was a key element to the rebrand. Simon Manchipp, SomeOne’s co-founder explains: “Clarity, simplicity and efficiency all drive the new design work, so that anyone can get to the information they want, when they want and how they want it.”

The upgraded identity was designed to prioritise easy online navigation as previous online platforms had not translated well onto small phone screens. This digital enhancement is perhaps one of the new identity’s greatest improvements. The identity is stored and managed on the online Cloudlines platform, which will allow future developers working on bicameral communications easier access to the brand’s principles. Cosmo Jameson, senior designer at SomeOne states: “Rather than repetitively stamping a single symbol on all communications, we’ve developed a more in-depth design system to accommodate any kind of application.”