Dorling Kindersley

NINE ELMS, LONDON

A space for the curious.

Penguin’s sister company Dorling Kindersley came to THEM because their space didn't feel like their own, “it feels like we're camping here”. As a publisher, their world is built on visuals, creativity and concepts. We were brought in to bring their space to life and connect it with the culture of the organisation. One of our goals was to immerse the audience into the DK narrative immediately upon arrival. This has been achieved through the creation of a branded welcome sign that doubles up as a bench/lounge area, for maximum integration within the workspace.

We were responsible for bringing the brand to life in their space. This has been achieved through a number of pieces conceptualised and designed by us, from the reception area and wayfinding, to the exciting murals that reflect their brand perspective. The values that Dorling Kindersley embodies are shown in the workspace through playful murals, inspired by the curiosity that drives the publishing company, visual references like editors’ marks, and even their heritage and history, such as the location of their first office.

The workspace acts as a creative hub for writers, editors and artists alike, and we wanted to create a space that reflects that. Part of our work was featuring the stories that are near and dear to the history of Dorling Kindersley, by displaying vibrant painted canvases of their book covers across the office.

“This was a fantastic opportunity to shine a light on the artists and creative collaborators DK have engaged throughout their existence, and to focus on the creative collaborative culture of their industry.”

Dan Moscrop

The functional nature of wayfinding did not prevent us from embedding the same playfulness and unconventionality into our designs. Our signage for the DK headquarters is brand inspired, with a focus on the physicality of the materials used and their colour.