This concept rebrand for The Deep, Hull’s iconic aquarium and marine conservation charity was developed as a second-year university project. It explores how design can clarify purpose, improve audience engagement, and bring renewed relevance to established cultural institutions.

The brief was self-initiated, with a focus on repositioning The Deep through a more contemporary, mission-aligned identity. The goal: to build a cohesive and adaptable visual system that better reflects the organisation’s commitment to sustainability, education, and ocean conservation, while making its public-facing communications more consistent and engaging.

At the heart of the identity is a modular icon set, inspired by The Deep’s striking architecture, native marine species, and the geography of the Humber coastline. These geometric forms inform a dynamic logo system and support the brand statement: “Targeting today, sustaining tomorrow”, a clear message that reinforces The Deep’s long-term conservation goals.

Typography is bold and functional, ensuring legibility and visual presence across all applications. A deep, marine-inspired colour palette of rich blues sets the tone, supported by a wider colour system to differentiate exhibits, aid wayfinding, and appeal to younger visitors.

Key deliverables included conceptual designs for signage, print materials, merchandise, staff uniforms, visitor information, and café packaging. Each item was designed with sustainability in mind—prioritising recyclable substrates, minimal production waste, and clear eco messaging.

This project demonstrates how a strategically developed identity system can help cultural and environmental organisations communicate more effectively. While conceptual, it presents a real-world approach to brand design—using visual clarity and purpose-driven thinking to elevate one of Hull’s most recognisable public institutions.