Only reimagines our historical icon for the future
28 June 2023“We have a real love of the city and what it represents - a place of optimism, diversity and transformation.”
Who are Only? What’s the mission?
We’re an award-winning branding agency based in the heart of Manchester. We empower progressive brands through clear thinking, impactful creativity and authentic partnership.
What attracted you to the Sunlight House project?
As residents of Manchester, we have a real love of the city and what it represents - a place of optimism, diversity and transformation, the birthplace of the UK’s industrial revolution and the home of suffrage.
The renaissance of Sunlight House felt to us like a powerful reference to the city’s heritage, with its own history of pioneering ambition and constant reinvention. Joseph Sunlight’s vision of this Northern skyscraper in the depressed early 1930s was a powerful story that really captured our imaginations.
Kinrise’s approach to sustainability and regeneration was also a key draw for us. The opportunity to work on re-envisioning the brand for such a cultural landmark in our own backyard, lovingly restored with respect for the environment and for the vision of the original architect, was a proposition that we couldn’t help but be excited by.
What’s been your approach to the branding challenge?
With the history of the building being so integral to the story we were trying to tell, we began by researching Joseph himself and learning about his background and story, with trips to Manchester Central Library unearthing some great imagery of the original building. We learnt some incredible things about the scale of his impact across Greater Manchester, his dreams and eccentricities. It struck us that the building came to represent something very special back then — by some people's measure, the North's first skyscraper — a beacon of progress and disruption. We came on to think about the role of the building today, in the heart of Manchester, and how Sunlight House could once again imbue a spirit of hope, ambition and opportunity.
“Sunlight House could once again imbue a spirit of hope, ambition and opportunity.”
Where have we landed and why?
We drew on the building’s name and namesake, leaning on the themes of light and hope to invite tenants to a bright new chapter. Just as Joseph and his building was a beacon of progress for the city, the new Sunlight House leads the way, shining a light on new ways of collaborative working, inspiring better culture and fostering a spirit of hope and opportunity amongst forward-thinking pioneers.
The visual identity hints at heritage, whilst keeping a focus on what’s next, primarily using typography as a way of expressing this. Rector was chosen for its detail, refinement and distinctive character (in the spirit of Joseph Sunlight), and Enduro’s boldness, confidence and modernity spoke to its future tenants.
We wanted aspects of the identity to feel like they were there from the beginning, and were keen to showcase the building’s transformation by the use of imagery drawn from Manchester’s archive, as well as in situ photography of the conservation and refurbishment of the existing offices. The bright and varied colour palette connects to the idea of a bright new chapter and ties in with the interior scheme
We hope the new Sunlight House brand will inspire and invigorate future generations of tenants, and look forward to seeing it lived out in our city for years to come.
