Every city tells a story – in its buildings, its people, its culture. But often, those stories go unheard or unseen. At Arch Creative, we believe in the power of design to surface what makes a place unique – and to help communities see themselves reflected in the places they live, work and create.
From public institutions to city-wide campaigns, we’ve helped shape identities for places with history, heart and vision. These aren’t just branding exercises. They’re creative strategies rooted in place, people and purpose.
Successful place branding doesn’t start with logos; it starts with listening. What matters to the people who live here? What are we trying to protect, promote or reimagine?
Our work with Leicester Museums & Galleries is a great example of this. We developed a bold, contemporary visual identity for a collective of nine unique venues across the city – from historic sites like the Guildhall to flagship locations like New Walk Museum, which we helped to rename, positioning it as Leicester’s flagship museum. The challenge was to create a flexible brand that celebrated both Leicester’s rich past and its modern creative energy.
Places carry layers, and often, the most powerful stories are the ones buried beneath the surface. The Jewry Wall Museum project gave us the chance to bring Roman Leicester to life through powerful branding. Working closely with the city council and historians, we created a new identity that felt both rooted and forward-thinking, helping a long-overlooked site reintroduce itself to a new generation.
This idea of rediscovery also drove our work on Uncover the Story, a campaign designed to promote Leicester’s incredible museum collections. The concept encouraged exploration and curiosity, repositioning the city’s cultural assets as dynamic, accessible spaces for everyone.
Celebrating place means celebrating the people who bring it to life. With Independent Leicester, we created a platform to showcase the city’s thriving indie food, retail and creative scene. The brand identity was bright, confident and community-first, designed to unite and amplify the voices of small businesses and makers across the city centre. It’s this kind of project that reminds us that place branding doesn’t have to be top-down. Sometimes it’s most effective when it emerges from the grassroots.
How do we create city centres that people want to be in? That was the question behind Reimagining a City Centre, a bold series of projects for Leicester City Council. We helped bring a major regeneration vision to life through clear, people-focused creative – mapping out how public space could be reshaped to better serve its communities, while inviting citizens to be part of that transformation.
Our work in cities and creative spaces is always guided by purpose. Whether it’s encouraging cultural participation, boosting local economies, or reconnecting people with heritage, we see design as a catalyst for connection and change. By putting place, people and purpose at the heart of every creative decision, we help ensure that the work doesn’t just look good – it means something.
We’re passionate about cities, stories, and the people who shape them. If you’re a local authority, cultural venue or placemaking organisation looking to create a meaningful brand or campaign, we’d love to collaborate.