DesignStudio, agency behind Airbnb’s signature look, makes over Center Parcs Europe

DesignStudio’s work with hospitality brands is well known. In 2013 the agency received the first brief to rebrand Airbnb, also revamping its logo, and more recently worked on an identity for The Other House. Its latest work in the space is for Center Parcs Europe, changing the traditional brand symbol – a bird in flight – among other things. The new logo merges brand name initials with a tree symbol to signal Center Parcs Europe’s focus in the hospitality space.

Across the visual overhaul, Center Parcs Europe (operating 29 destinations throughout the Netherlands, France, Germany and Belgium) hopes to reflect its repositioning from a leisure option for families with kids to a holiday destination for anyone.

A renewed focus on nature is one of the ways DesignStudio makes this switch, as demonstrated in the new marque. Bagoss was chosen as a typeface for its “organic terminals”, the studio says. Meanwhile, DesignStudio moves the brand from “their expected green” to a more varied palette, “inspired by all facets of the natural world”.

Illustrations by Fuchsia MacAree reflect the range of experiences on offer at Center Parcs Europe and aim to “inject warmth, joy and a human touch”. These are paired with bespoke photography working across three areas: close-up textural shots of nature, shots of people, and images of the two coming together.

Vinay Mistry, DesignStudio executive creative director, reflects that the new brand needed to “change perceptions and evolve the brand to emotionally connect with both existing holiday makers and new travellers”. The ECD continues: “We found that Center Parcs Europe was founded on the concept of ‘man + nature’. Our brand idea, Human Nature, goes back to these founding roots and symbolises how the brand enables you to truly connect with nature and each other.”