I’d lazily assumed that, like jazz record sleeves and Dutch public transport, zoos were one of those sectors with a visual legacy that’s packed with game-changing brand design – the sort that fills the pages of graphic design histories, up there with the likes of Paul Rand’s ‘IBM’ and the FedEx arrow and Alan Fletcher’s gloriously clever ampersand trickery for the V&A.

But that assumption was based almost entirely on Lance Wyman’s 1975 logo, pictogrammatic icons, and wayfinding for National Zoo in Washington DC, an absolute masterstroke in minimalistic animals that looks as brilliant today as ever. But still, that was half a century ago.

It turns out that while there’s a wealth of interesting stuff out there about modernism and zoo design when it comes to architecture – much of which is bizarrely heavily skewed towards the fascinating but hyperspecific realm of the penguin enclosure – there’s not been a lot to write home about when it comes to zoo logo design history.

It can’t be an easy brief, though: designs for zoos must balance serious conversation topics, education, and a nice day out. They must speak to everyone, from scientists at the top of their academic game to literal dribbling infants, to investors, restaurant brands, and local authorities. Few audiences are broader, nor more wide-ranging in their needs and considerations when it comes to design.

All of which makes Chester Zoo’s recent rebrand by How&How (Hometree) all the more impressive. As one of the UK’s leading wildlife conservation organisations and one of the country’s most-visited zoos, Chester Zoo needed an identity that could reflect its global influence while still maintaining its core connection to the public and its mission to protect endangered species.

How&How, then, was challenged with evolving the zoo’s identity in a design approach that remained approachable and family-friendly, while also reflecting both its rich history and its growing role as a forward-thinking leader in wildlife conservation.

The whole thing is based around the brand idea – ‘Force for Nature’, which aims to speak to ‘Chester Zoo’s bias for action and positive momentum’.

It absolutely does all feel beautifully lively and positive, but it’s also somehow rather sophisticated and timeless. Crucially, it drags the whole look and feel not only into the present and future but into the realm of the authoritative, subtly showcasing the organisation’s chops when it comes to its mission to protect endangered species and inspire action against biodiversity loss.

How&How worked with Chester Zoo on the project for two years prior to its public launch in 2024. The redesign process included a thorough exploration of Chester Zoo’s history, audience, and conservation efforts, culminating in a visual identity that feels both professional and inviting, as well as a new website – ‘a mammoth undertaking’, according to How&How. ‘The design intentionally mirrors the content-rich allure of streaming platforms: done to create a sense of abundance and choice through endless carousels and immersive video content, which provide an invitation into a world of so many exciting experiences’, the studio explains.

The new modular, flexible identity system’s adaptability allows it to work seamlessly across a variety of applications, from signage to merchandise, digital assets to environmental design. As you’d hope, creatures are everywhere: patterns that are often used as overlays throughout the identity are inspired by the shapes and movements of various mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and fauna.

And the new logo, formed of a custom ‘C’, takes inspiration for its unusual shape from that of a rhinoceros horn. This is a subtle but powerful nod to the organisation’s history of supporting critically endangered Eastern Black Rhinos through things like a successful breeding programme in the late 90s.

How&How worked with foundry Sharp Type to create a new custom brand typeface based on Grotesque style letterforms, which use subtle flourishes to mimic natural iconography like leaves, animal tails, and critter claws.

While the colour palette hasn’t strayed far from the tried and tested ‘green for conservation’ cliché, it has nuance, incorporating deep forest greens, earthy browns, and rich, sunset-inspired hues drawn from nature that feel fresh and energetic while not being too overtly playful and detracting from the more serious messaging.

The illustrations are textured and evocative, recalling field sketches and scientific drawings while still feeling fresh and contemporary. These illustrations complement the zoo’s high-quality photography, which showcases both the animals and the people working to protect them.

It’s a neat, almost editorial style that beautifully balances looking nice with education and clearly delineating what’s going on, and how – and, crucially, does so in a way that resonates across a variety of audiences, from school groups and families to policymakers and conservation experts.

How&How’s rebranding of Chester Zoo is a masterful example of balancing authority with accessibility; scientific rigour with a fun family day out to see the bats (God, I love that bat enclosure). It surprised me that the project didn’t get as much fanfare as it deserved when it first launched, but as with all great design, its deftness becomes all the more obvious over time.

The best designs aren’t always the ones that captivate the chattering creative classes immediately, a la JKR Burger King (we still won’t shut up about that, will we?); instead, we’d wager Chester Zoo’s designs will be revealing their capacity as both functional workhorse and easy-on-the-eye aesthetic brand ambassador for many years to come, worn in by endless wee footsteps in Froggie face wellington boots.