Dragon Hall is a unique Grad 1 listed, medieval trading hall in Norwich, dating from around 1430. The building currently plays home to the National Centre for Writing, as well being a host venue for weddings, parties, corporate events and guided tours.
Renowned for its spectacular timber crown-post roof and intricate details, it is symbolic of Norwich’s historical past and as a city of national importance.
We were tasked with creating a fresh brand identity for Dragon Hall, which would modernise the core brand logo and identity assets, whilst paying homage the the building’s unique history and architecture.
As the home for the National Centre for Writing, we naturally began with the idea of aligning the Dragon Hall logo construction with the pencil shapes of the existing ‘N’ logomark. From there we crafted an open dragon wing and custom typography, with beam structures reflective of the historic roof architecture.
Set against a black backdrop, contrasting the wood and stone features of the building, the new identity playfully, yet subtly, directs visitors around the hall and grounds, as well as accompanying minimal and elegant brochure, menu and printed collateral.
“We wanted a distinct identity which needed to reflect the rich history and storytelling tradition of our site, while also feeling modern and stylish.
The Ark team were able to present us with a solution to our challenge that was clear, attractive, and very clever! We loved that the ‘Dragon wing’ in the logo subtly mirrored the look of an open book and the pencil from the NCW logo.”
Steph McKenna,
Senior Communications & Marketing Manager
