Pearlfisher unveils dynamic identity for homeless charity House of St. Barnabas

Since 1862, the House of St. Barnabas, located in the heart of London’s Soho district, has held close its charitable cause of fighting against the depravity of homelessness. In 2013, the charity introduced a private members’ club heralding a vision ‘to create a future where sustained employment is a reality for those affected by homelessness.’ Further promoting its ongoing pledge, the charity has rebranded, bringing a colourful storm of vibrancy to the core of the organisation.

The new identity, designed by London-based creative design agency, Pearlfisher, converges the paradoxes of House of St. Barnabas’ aristocratic structure, with the neon lights and modern art of its interior, producing a project that ‘reads between the lines.’

The charity’s focus has always favoured refuge. With its initial name being ‘House of Charity,’ the building was initially used to keep families together when husbands of the family traditionally worked long hours at workhouses. Yet the brand’s historic, Dickensian dichotomy, manifests itself today in simpler terms, using membership fees to fund an in-house Employment Academy, reintegrating those whose social and economic welfare has often excluded them from society.

With an updated visual language, Pearlfisher incorporated both bold typography and handwritten script to give the identity its authentic feel. Using both diverse and bright colour options, as well as a mixture of candid photography, the resulting visual campaign places a human touch at the charity’s core. For Pearlfisher, its strategic vision for the project was grounded in what it calls, ‘Cherish and Challenge,’ which aims to create striking imagery centred on capturing audiences.

Rollout is underway across the brand’s signage, print materials and online platforms.