Navigating the housing landscape in London is no small feat. The city is known for its sky-high rents, inflexible leases, and often impersonal housing experiences. These challenges have made settling down in the UK capital increasingly unattainable for many young professionals, creatives, and remote workers. Recognising the need for a more compassionate and inclusive solution, Ark emerged with an innovative take on urban dwelling: a new paradigm of co-living in London.
Ark offers consciously designed, community-driven spaces that go beyond the transactional nature of renting. Its mission is clear—create meaningful living environments where residents can work, connect, and thrive together. With the launch of its first location in Wembley, Ark needed a visual identity that not only represented this ambitious vision but could also adapt as the brand expanded across the city.
To achieve this, Ark partnered with renowned brand studio OMSE. The result is a visual language that is warm yet structured, highly adaptable yet distinct. OMSE’s approach balances the emotional core of the Ark concept with a visual toolkit that supports its evolution across different boroughs, demographics, and lifestyle needs.
Co-Living in London Reimagined Through Visual Identity
In the heart of one of the world’s most demanding urban landscapes, Ark has emerged with a vision that transcends the transactional nature of modern housing. London's reputation for unaffordable rents, inflexible leases, and transient rental experiences has made the idea of 'home' feel increasingly abstract. Ark seeks to change that by introducing a new philosophy of living—one where space is not just occupied but truly inhabited. It offers more than just rooms; it offers community, stability, and purpose through its co-living environments.
The essence of Ark is rooted in three foundational ideals: accessibility, communal belonging, and purposeful design. It strives to dissolve the emotional disconnect often present in big-city living. Instead of a conventional apartment complex where individuals coexist in isolation, Ark introduces shared environments that nurture relationships, support wellbeing, and create opportunities for social and professional growth.
For a concept this layered and nuanced, visual storytelling becomes essential. This is where OMSE’s role became pivotal. Tasked with articulating Ark’s ethos in design form, OMSE devised a visual identity that would speak to both the intellect and the heart. It was critical that this identity communicated Ark's intent across diverse London boroughs—each with its own pulse, character, and expectations—without losing its core essence. Thus, a brand system was developed that is modular, expressive, and capable of manifesting Ark's vision as it adapts to various contexts across the city.
What resulted is a dynamic identity, meticulously designed to reflect Ark’s multifaceted personality. Rather than being confined by a fixed design manual, it functions as a living system. This flexibility allows each Ark location to mirror its surrounding community while maintaining the unmistakable DNA of the parent brand. The approach captures both the need for consistency and the desire for individuality—two often conflicting requirements in multi-location branding.
Shaping the Ark: A Semi-Circle as Symbol and Structure
Every powerful brand relies on a symbolic nucleus, and for Ark, that nucleus is the semi-circle. OMSE’s design team identified this simple geometric form not merely for its aesthetic elegance but for its evocative potential. The semi-circle embodies the fundamental qualities Ark wished to express—openness, support, and inclusivity. Its visual language is disarmingly simple, yet deeply meaningful.
The semi-circle operates as both a metaphor and a practical framework. Conceptually, it serves as a modern reinterpretation of the ‘ark’—a vessel of safety and shared purpose. It signifies protection, collectiveness, and continuity. Visually, it doubles as a smile, reinforcing Ark’s warm and hospitable character. These interpretations aren't contrived—they organically mirror Ark's mission to be a welcoming refuge in a fast-paced city.
This curvature is deployed strategically throughout the visual system. It informs the layout of typography, guides the shape of image containers, and inspires the form of various illustrative elements. Its repetition across mediums lends coherence, while its interpretative versatility ensures each application feels fresh. Whether it’s signage in Wembley or digital wayfinding in future sites, the semi-circle adapts and informs, never dictating.
Crucially, this design motif isn't ornamental. It’s an anchoring tool that subtly guides perception. It softens the modernism of the brand, introduces a human element, and links disparate pieces into a cohesive narrative. It’s this balance between form and function that allows the identity to stay nimble yet distinctive—perfect for a brand that represents the spectrum of urban lifestyles in London.
A Design Framework for Emotional and Spatial Harmony
Design, in its highest form, doesn’t merely inform—it connects. OMSE understood this and approached Ark’s identity with an almost architectural sensibility. Just as Ark’s physical spaces are thoughtfully curated to offer privacy without isolation and openness without chaos, the visual design had to reflect a similar equilibrium. That meant striking harmony between the visual and the emotional, the modular and the personal.
A crucial component of this design philosophy was to reflect the social nature of co-living in London without enforcing it. People come to Ark for various reasons—some for the affordability, others for the community. The visual identity needed to be welcoming to all without leaning too far into a singular tone. It had to offer the promise of home, whether one was seeking solitude or social energy.
Typography, color, and layout were all informed by this intent. The use of calm, grounded base tones paired with energetic accents reflects Ark’s dual spirit: a sanctuary from the city and a celebration of it. The fonts chosen are both accessible and characterful, supporting a tone that is confident but never corporate. Layouts are fluid, allowing for content to shift and scale depending on the medium, from mobile-first applications to print collateral and architectural branding.
Moreover, the system is designed with collaboration in mind. Residents and team members can participate in the branding process through customisable elements like personal room signage or community boards. This involvement helps decentralise the brand and encourages a sense of ownership among its users. In this way, Ark’s identity becomes more than visual—it becomes experiential.
Future-Proofing Co-Living Through Adaptive Identity
In an age where housing is often reduced to square footage and utility, Ark introduces a profoundly human alternative. And with OMSE’s design system, that alternative now has a compelling visual vocabulary to support its evolution. More than a branding solution, this identity framework is a platform—a malleable construct that can accommodate future growth, technological integration, and cultural shifts.
As Ark expands across London’s ever-evolving neighbourhoods, each with its own rhythm and social fabric, the brand’s adaptability will become increasingly important. The semi-circle’s potential for reinterpretation allows it to morph with the times, staying relevant while remaining recognisable. Whether integrated into murals in Hackney, wayfinding in Southwark, or app design for digital onboarding, it scales effortlessly.
Ark’s identity doesn’t seek to dominate spaces but to enhance them. It avoids heavy-handed branding in favor of subtler cues that resonate on a human level. This humility makes it future-ready, giving Ark the agility to respond to new resident needs, new modes of communication, and new ways of thinking about communal living.
The emphasis on adaptability ensures that Ark remains not just a solution for today’s housing challenges, but a blueprint for tomorrow’s urban habitats. Through this visual identity, the brand becomes a symbol of co-creation, a space for belonging, and a genuine counterpoint to the transactional, impersonal realities of most city living options.
In totality, OMSE’s work for Ark is a masterclass in design thinking applied with empathy and foresight. It is branding not as a layer but as a foundation—one that allows a pioneering vision of co-living in London to flourish across communities, cultures, and time.
Strategic Foundations Behind the Brand Experience
When establishing a new paradigm for co-living in a city as diverse and demanding as London, surface-level aesthetics simply aren’t enough. OMSE recognised that to deliver a truly enduring and meaningful visual identity for Ark, it needed to begin not with visual motifs or graphic systems, but with an introspective and rigorous strategic foundation. The team embarked on a thoughtful process that prioritised coherence, inclusivity, and shared purpose from the very beginning.
The objective was not just to build a brand that looked contemporary but to develop one that could act as a living, evolving conduit between Ark and the communities it aims to serve. With multiple stakeholders involved—from founders and architects to marketers and local influencers—it was essential to align all voices under one comprehensive brand philosophy. This unifying strategy would go on to inform every nuance of the brand's visual and verbal articulation.
OMSE initiated a collaborative framework built on workshops, dialogue sessions, and cultural immersion to extract the authentic essence of Ark’s mission. These engagements weren’t limited to hypothetical concepts or brand archetypes—they explored real pain points in urban housing, resident aspirations, and the psychological facets of what makes a shared space feel like home. The result was a cohesive, value-driven brand compass grounded in four enduring pillars: accessibility, shared ownership, adaptability, and empathy.
These values became the keystone of the identity—not abstract slogans but active elements shaping everything from spatial branding and tone of voice to digital UI patterns. The outcome is an urban housing identity that feels purposeful, rooted, and ready to expand.
Designing With Intention: Building from Purpose, Not Aesthetics
What distinguishes Ark’s visual system from the over-engineered branding seen in many real estate or lifestyle ventures is the clarity of its intent. OMSE’s strategic direction provided the scaffolding for design decisions that weren't based on fleeting trends but on long-term cultural resonance. Every choice made—be it the curvature of a semi-circle or the subtle gradient of a supporting palette—was steeped in meaning derived from Ark’s values.
This approach ensures that the identity isn’t just attractive, but deeply relevant. It speaks with clarity to a generation disenchanted by generic, cookie-cutter housing options. The emotional weight behind the visuals is what makes Ark's branding not just recognisable, but relatable. This is particularly essential in the realm of co-living in London, where authenticity and belonging are often hard to come by.
From typography that reflects the locality of each borough to a voice that flexes according to context, the brand is wired for sensitivity. Rather than rigidly broadcasting a singular tone, Ark’s design framework allows for calibration—being loud where it needs to inspire, quiet where it needs to reassure, and playful where it seeks to build rapport.
Such depth only comes from strategic clarity. OMSE’s commitment to defining the "why" before addressing the "how" prevented any element from feeling arbitrary. This makes the identity scalable, emotionally resonant, and rich with opportunities for interaction. It's not only design you look at—it's design you feel.
An Identity Engineered for Evolution
Scalability is often misinterpreted in branding as the ability to replicate visuals without error. But for a brand like Ark, expansion is about much more than duplication—it’s about adaptation without dilution. Each Ark location across London is unique, not just in geography but in culture, demographic, and local rhythm. OMSE’s strategic foundations ensured that Ark’s identity could respond to these differences while maintaining a cohesive core.
The brand architecture was designed with a modular mentality. OMSE developed a system that functions more like a language than a template—allowing each new location to express itself using a familiar dialect but with its own local accent. From regionally nuanced typography and imagery to on-site wayfinding and community-driven content, Ark’s brand is built to morph in meaningful ways.
This elasticity is particularly critical for brands involved in co-living and shared environments, where the audience isn’t just wide—it’s evolving. Residents come from different walks of life, speak different languages, and bring different cultural narratives. A monolithic brand voice would alienate as many people as it would attract. In contrast, Ark’s identity has the rare capacity to be many things to many people, without ever losing its core.
Strategic foresight also played a role in technological readiness. As Ark’s presence grows, digital experiences will become integral—from resident apps to virtual tours to community platforms. The brand’s design system is already equipped to handle such transitions, ensuring that its essence carries across every medium, whether physical or digital.
Cultivating Human Connection Through Strategic Clarity
Perhaps the most distinctive aspect of Ark’s identity is its inherent emotional intelligence. This would not have been possible without OMSE’s unwavering commitment to strategy as a human-centric exercise. Their process wasn't about hitting metrics or satisfying aesthetic checklists; it was about understanding the people who would live within and interact with the brand.
In a city often associated with transactional living, Ark sets a precedent for relational living. This approach carries over into its brand experience, which is designed not to impress from afar but to engage up close. Whether it's through wayfinding that feels intuitive or community boards that encourage interaction, the brand is an active participant in everyday life.
Each touchpoint is carefully calibrated through a strategic lens that puts empathy first. OMSE recognised that the modern resident is not merely a consumer but a collaborator. This understanding is why Ark’s branding allows for personalisation, resident involvement, and co-authorship. People don’t just live in Ark—they become part of its ongoing narrative.
Color Palette That Mirrors Urban Serenity and Cultural Richness
Establishing a color system for a contemporary residential brand is no small undertaking. It is not merely a matter of selecting shades that appeal aesthetically—it is about constructing a chromatic language that can carry emotional depth, architectural presence, and digital clarity all at once. For Ark, a pioneering brand redefining co-living in London, the color palette had to be more than visual—it needed to be visceral.
Ark’s entire design philosophy revolves around creating spaces where people not only live but also belong. The colors, therefore, had to express values like calm, comfort, vibrancy, and versatility. OMSE approached this challenge with strategic precision, developing a color system that operates as a mirror to both the intimate serenity of Ark interiors and the external dynamism of London’s multifaceted urban landscape.
At the center of the palette sits a refined blue—a color selected for its ability to convey stability, trust, and a meditative calm. This hue doesn't shout for attention; it settles quietly into the surroundings, evoking the sensation of security and groundedness. Such a quality is vital in a market like co-living in London, where residents are often seeking an emotional anchor in a fast-moving and overwhelming city.
A Chromatic Balance of Stillness and Momentum
While the foundational blue provided a canvas of serenity, OMSE understood the risk of stagnation that can occur with overly subdued tones. Co-living spaces, after all, are not meant to feel sterile or inert—they are alive with conversation, collaboration, and creativity. To counterbalance the calm base, vivid injections of electric blue and zesty green were introduced. These aren't merely decorative flourishes; they serve as emissaries of vitality, echoing the multicultural beat of London's boroughs and the rich personal stories of Ark’s residents.
The juxtaposition of these hues creates a rhythm within the identity—one that feels measured but spontaneous, calm but invigorating. This sense of duality allows the brand to speak to a wide demographic without becoming amorphous. It remains true to its core values while remaining responsive to the eclectic environments it inhabits.
Importantly, these tones are employed with strategic hierarchy. The base color provides structure and consistency, ideal for architectural surfaces, wayfinding, and user interfaces. The accent colors, meanwhile, add moments of emphasis, breaking monotony in communication, enlivening community materials, and drawing attention in spaces that invite interaction—like kitchens, lounges, and co-working zones. The system breathes, shifts, and adapts, depending on the emotional needs of the environment it serves.
Harmonising Brand and Space Through Color Theory
In crafting the Ark color system, OMSE drew not just from design theory but from human psychology and behavioral insight. People experience color in spatially and emotionally layered ways. What feels soothing in a website’s background may seem bland on a feature wall; what feels engaging on an app screen may feel overpowering in a small room. Every shade in Ark’s palette had to undergo this contextual scrutiny.
The result is a color scheme that functions both visually and atmospherically. For digital touchpoints—like booking portals, community apps, and digital newsletters—the refined blue conveys reliability and seamlessness, while brighter accents guide attention and suggest interactivity. In physical spaces, the same colors encourage ease of movement and emotional orientation, subtly reinforcing a sense of harmony and cohesion across diverse mediums.
This chromatic strategy also supports one of Ark’s core differentiators: its commitment to adaptable living. In co-living environments where residents cycle in and out, personalization and diversity must coexist with consistency and order. The palette manages this tension brilliantly, offering a wide enough spectrum to allow individuality without descending into chaos. Residents can feel the brand without feeling restricted by it.
The color palette also complements other brand elements, including its modular typography and flexible iconography. Because of its foundational serenity, the color scheme doesn’t compete with these elements—it supports them. Whether overlaid with lifestyle imagery, used beneath typographic messaging, or integrated into environmental graphics, the palette behaves like a silent partner, enhancing clarity and mood without ever overshadowing the message.
A Future-Proof Palette with Human Sensibility
As Ark expands to more boroughs across London—and potentially beyond—the flexibility of its color system becomes paramount. Each location carries its own cultural textures, its own architectural styles, and its own demographic moods. A rigid palette would collapse under such diversity. Instead, OMSE’s strategic approach ensures that Ark’s color language is not just scalable but culturally fluent.
This doesn’t mean bending the identity to every whim of locale. It means allowing enough elasticity for subtle regional adaptations while maintaining a recognisable backbone. In one location, the palette might lean more into its cooler tones to reflect a more tranquil, residential character; in another, the palette might draw upon its vibrant notes to energise a younger, more dynamic audience. This chromatic calibration enhances authenticity while preserving visual consistency.
Moreover, the palette has been designed with longevity in mind. Trends in color—like all design trends—are transient. But OMSE avoided hyper-stylised choices in favor of tones that draw from more timeless associations. The central blue, for example, is rooted in both digital clarity and natural calm. Its presence is as suitable in an app UI as it is in a mural or a resident onboarding booklet.
Environmental sustainability also influenced the palette’s development. OMSE considered how colors would print, how they would appear on low-energy screens, and how they would interact with natural lighting in Ark’s architecture. In doing so, they ensured that the palette is not only conceptually sound but practically resilient—ready for real-world use in everything from eco-conscious printing to energy-efficient screen displays.
Typographic System That Speaks With Local Nuance
In any brand identity, typography is far more than a tool for communication—it is a voice, a cadence, a visual rhythm that shapes how a brand is heard as much as how it is seen. For Ark, a brand deeply embedded in the cultural fabric of London’s evolving co-living landscape, typography had to perform on multiple levels. It needed to convey both unity and individuality, stability and flexibility. It had to be instantly recognisable yet endlessly adaptable.
OMSE approached this complexity not by narrowing the identity into a strict typographic doctrine but by opening it up to allow for contextual expression. Rather than adhering to a singular typeface or stylistic rigidity, Ark’s system is inherently pluralistic. It leans on a set of type principles rather than static rules. This liberates each Ark location—whether in historic Hampstead or rapidly modernising Hackney—to exhibit its own tone, rhythm, and vernacular while remaining unmistakably Ark.
At the heart of this system lies the brand’s signature semi-circle motif, which subtly guides the typographic layout. This geometric arc does not function merely as decoration—it offers structure and flow. Texts curve around it, align with it, or break from it in expressive contrast. This approach lends the brand an architectural quality, echoing the spaces Ark creates: open-plan, community-oriented, yet functionally grounded.
Ark’s typography can shift from robust and contemporary in a co-working environment to soft and conversational in residential applications. It allows editorial layouts for newsletters to feel personal, digital UIs to feel intuitive, and event posters to feel bold. This elasticity helps the brand resonate across touchpoints while reflecting the nuances of the diverse communities it serves. It’s a typographic voice not imposed upon a place, but one that listens to it, adapts, and responds.
Localisation Through Typography and Community Identity
A key challenge in branding co-living environments—especially in a city as layered and culturally rich as London—is achieving consistency without homogeneity. Ark’s typographic system triumphs by being inherently localised. Each borough in London is a world unto itself, with its own identity, historical layering, and design sensibility. Camden’s bohemian roots, Stratford’s innovation drive, Brixton’s artistic pulse—all require subtle shifts in tone to connect authentically with residents.
OMSE anticipated this need and built Ark’s system to accommodate local nuance. Typography becomes a tool not just for communication, but for cultural fluency. Customisable type treatments, tone adjustments, and layout variations are all encouraged, guided by Ark’s broader identity framework. This isn't an abandonment of consistency but a reimagining of it—allowing Ark’s identity to feel at home in every neighbourhood it inhabits.
This localisation also serves the brand’s social purpose. Ark is not in the business of simply placing people into buildings; it is building communities. Typography that adapts to a local tone—whether through softer language, vernacular-inspired font pairings, or responsive typographic hierarchies—makes residents feel represented. It says: “We see you. We hear you. This space was created with your story in mind.”
In turn, this philosophy fosters emotional buy-in from residents. They’re more likely to engage, participate, and form lasting connections when the brand language reflects their lived realities. Ark’s typographic approach, then, becomes a catalyst for place-making and a tool for inclusivity—not just a set of fonts.
Imagery That Celebrates Everyday Life in Ark Spaces
In an era saturated with aspirational marketing visuals, Ark takes a refreshingly grounded approach. Its visual identity doesn’t rely on unattainable ideals but embraces the beauty of authenticity. The imagery OMSE developed for Ark is unfiltered, honest, and deeply human—an extension of the brand’s values and a visual embodiment of co-living in its truest form.
The photographic style leans into candid moments rather than orchestrated perfection. Residents are not posed—they are captured mid-laughter, at work, sharing meals, or simply being present in the spaces they inhabit. These spontaneous moments bring warmth and tangibility to the brand, demystifying co-living and positioning it as a lifestyle grounded in connection, ease, and shared experience.
Lighting is kept natural. Compositions are relaxed. Every photograph feels as though it could have been taken by a fellow resident, not a corporate photographer. This unpolished approach signals transparency, relatability, and trust—qualities that are especially valuable in the competitive landscape of urban housing.
The imagery also avoids tokenism by portraying real diversity—of age, race, lifestyle, and expression. This reinforces Ark’s commitment to inclusive living and ensures that the brand’s visuals reflect the communities it seeks to attract and support.
The visual language is not static, either. It evolves alongside the residents. New stories emerge, new people move in, and the brand has room to grow visually with them. This ever-evolving gallery becomes a living archive of the Ark experience—a visual journal of everyday life inside its walls.
Illustrations and Curated Visual Flexibility
Photography may anchor the brand in realism, but illustration introduces an interpretive and expressive dimension to Ark’s identity. OMSE infused the system with soft, curved illustrations that draw inspiration from the same geometric DNA that defines Ark’s typographic structure. These visuals don’t just decorate—they narrate. They guide, support, and sometimes delight, offering a visual counterpoint to photography and helping balance the emotional tone of communications.
The illustrations, with their circular motifs, rounded edges, and approachable style, echo Ark’s architectural softness. They evoke inclusivity, warmth, and flow—all hallmarks of both the physical and emotional space Ark aims to create. Whether it’s a hand-drawn map of a neighbourhood, an illustrated event flyer, or a subtle UI detail, these graphics act as visual cues for comfort and cohesion.
OMSE designed these illustrations to be easily customisable, ensuring that Ark’s team—and even its residents—could adapt them over time. This aligns with the brand’s broader philosophy of shared authorship. Just as Ark’s typography allows for personalisation, its illustrations invite participation, co-creation, and reinterpretation.
A Brand Framework That Encourages Ownership
In a world where many housing solutions still feel impersonal or transactional, Ark sets out to do something fundamentally different. It doesn’t just provide spaces for living—it creates opportunities for shared ownership in the brand experience. One of the most important design goals for OMSE was to ensure Ark’s identity felt open-source in spirit, welcoming co-creation from those who live and work within its walls.
This was achieved by building a modular and responsive visual framework—one that prioritises accessibility and customisation. Rather than imposing a corporate design template, OMSE constructed a system that can be embraced by a wide array of users, from staff members designing weekly updates to residents crafting event invitations or personalising their door signs. The Ark brand isn’t a static monolith; it is a living interface for engagement.
By offering flexible tools within a cohesive structure, Ark empowers its community to actively shape their surroundings. This could be seen in branded materials like shared kitchen signage, co-created newsletters, or wall graphics that celebrate resident stories. Every design element is intentional yet adjustable, capable of being adapted without compromising the brand’s essence.
This principle of shared authorship reinforces Ark’s broader mission—to make residents feel not just accommodated, but truly included. It transforms the brand from something to be observed into something to be interacted with. Through participatory design and decentralised content generation, OMSE has created a brand that grows organically alongside its people.
Democratizing Design for Co-Living Communities
In the traditional real estate model, brand identity is typically developed in isolation and then rolled out unilaterally. Messaging flows one way—from developer to resident—with minimal room for feedback or adaptation. Ark turns this model on its head. By giving residents and staff the ability to leave their mark on the brand, it fosters a sense of communal pride and authentic ownership.
This democratisation of design is more than a stylistic gesture; it is an ideological stance. It challenges the idea that brand control should rest solely in the hands of a centralised authority. Instead, Ark invites decentralisation in thoughtful ways—providing guidelines that act as a scaffold rather than a constraint. Whether it’s choosing different type styles for different boroughs or allowing community-generated photos in marketing materials, the identity bends and flexes in response to real-world use.
This adaptability is essential for a co-living brand that must span diverse neighbourhoods across London. Each location is culturally and demographically unique, and Ark’s identity needs to speak to that plurality. OMSE’s system ensures that whether the setting is bustling Stratford or quiet Paddington, the visual language can be tailored without losing cohesion.
Moreover, the tools provided to residents are intentionally simple and intuitive. Customisable templates, editable illustrations, and modular signage elements allow even non-designers to take part in shaping the brand. This lowers the barrier to creative participation, allowing everyone to feel like a contributor to the Ark ecosystem.
Elastic Identity for a Shifting Urban Future
As cities grow more fluid and interconnected, housing models must evolve in parallel. Ark represents a forward-thinking answer to the question of how people want to live in modern metropolises. No longer satisfied with isolation or transience, urban dwellers seek connection, flexibility, and a sense of contribution. OMSE’s identity work for Ark aligns seamlessly with this shift, building a brand that is both sturdy and stretchable—an identity architecture prepared for continuous reinvention.
Ark’s visual framework was designed with expansion in mind. Rather than locking into a rigid aesthetic, the brand is built to absorb new narratives, technologies, and user behaviors as it scales. This kind of elasticity is vital for a co-living model that depends on responsiveness and inclusion. With every new location, the brand evolves subtly to reflect the mood, demographics, and energy of the surrounding environment.
Even in digital spaces, this identity proves resilient. Interfaces like community apps or booking portals adopt the same visual principles of modularity and openness. Whether experienced on a smartphone screen or within a communal lounge, the brand behaves consistently yet flexibly—bridging physical and digital seamlessly.
The identity’s capacity to remain relevant without losing recognisability is a testament to its strategic depth. Instead of being driven by fleeting trends or seasonal campaigns, the brand grows from a foundation of core values—empathy, accessibility, adaptability, and shared purpose. This gives Ark the rare advantage of cultural longevity in a landscape often dominated by short-lived attention.
Redefining Urban Living Through Brand Philosophy
At its core, Ark represents a paradigm shift in urban housing—a transition from commodified space to human-centered living. It challenges the long-standing notion that a residence is merely a product and repositions it as a platform for belonging, connection, and mutual care. OMSE’s branding work doesn’t just follow this vision—it enacts it.
The brand’s visual language is infused with warmth and approachability, yet it maintains enough structure to remain efficient and scalable. It fosters emotional connection without descending into sentimentality, and it invites interaction without becoming diluted. In every form—whether through a color accent, a curved illustration, or a co-authored newsletter—the brand expresses its belief in the power of community.
This approach makes Ark much more than just another player in the co-living space. It becomes a benchmark for what resident-first branding can achieve. It elevates design from a surface-level asset to a cultural infrastructure—something that actively shapes how people live, communicate, and relate to their environment.
As Ark continues to expand its footprint across London and possibly into other global urban centers, its brand identity is prepared not just to travel, but to transform. Each location will bring new influences, and the brand will absorb them—shifting just enough to stay relevant while remaining tethered to its core.
In the context of today’s urban challenges—rising housing costs, shrinking personal space, and growing social fragmentation—Ark’s brand identity offers more than aesthetics. It offers a way forward. It is a framework for building not just homes, but communities. Not just tenants, but co-authors of a shared story.
Final Thoughts
The collaboration between Ark and OMSE is more than just a branding exercise—it’s a thoughtful response to one of the most pressing challenges faced by urban dwellers today: finding a home in a city that often feels impersonal, chaotic, and unwelcoming. By crafting a visual identity that mirrors Ark’s mission to redefine co-living in London, OMSE has set a new standard for how brand design can foster genuine human connection and community building.
At the heart of this success is the brand’s ability to adapt without losing its integrity. In a city as diverse and sprawling as London, flexibility is not just a design preference; it’s a necessity. Ark’s visual language, anchored by the semi-circular form, offers the ideal blend of structure and openness. It communicates a sense of safety, inclusion, and optimism—all crucial traits for anyone looking to plant roots in a complex urban environment.
But what makes this identity truly exceptional is its emotional intelligence. From the muted yet rich color palette to the expressive and localised typography, every detail has been considered through the lens of the people who will live, work, and build their lives in Ark spaces. This is branding that listens, responds, and evolves. It does not dictate how people should feel or behave. Instead, it provides a visual framework that residents can interact with, personalise, and make their own.
The success of this identity lies in its refusal to be monolithic. Instead of presenting a uniform brand that tries to be everything to everyone, it presents a flexible, evolving identity that grows alongside its community. This marks a profound shift in how we think about brand experiences—moving from static and top-down to dynamic and co-authored.
In the end, Ark’s identity is not just about co-living; it’s about co-creating. It's a brand designed to be lived in, changed by its users, and enriched by the diversity it embraces. In doing so, it becomes not just a name or a logo, but a living, breathing part of the very communities it serves.
