We were approached by Woodlands Retreats to create a brand and visual identity for their new sister company, Upper Woodlands.

Upper Woodlands consists of three large self catering properties, pool and gym facilities, an open field for activities, expansive meadows for countryside rambles and a brand new converted barn space, The Milking Parlour. The Milking Parlour inspired the decision to create Upper Woodlands. By adding a stunning event space to their offering, Upper Woodlands invites retreat hosts and their guests to use an array of facilities in the heart of the Somerset countryside.

When considering the visual identity of Upper Woodlands, we took inspiration from the area around the site. The tranquil foothills of Glastonbury, the space surrounding the retreat and elements the area is known for but most importantly their resident birds that live in and around the site… the swallow. As a place where people can gather and enjoy the vast facilities of the site this naturally lead us to murmurations. The area plays host to vast starling murmurations and with starlings being an ancient symbol of freedom and happiness it felt like the perfect homage.

We created a living, breathing, moving identity. One that takes inspiration from natures grand ballet in the sky. The animated murmuration moves freely before taking form into a series of icons, representing all that Upper Woodlands has to offer. This visual identity transformed beautifully into an online presence, creating a clean, crisp website which along with an elegant, fresh colour palette and idyllic messaging inspires the audience to book a retreat.

The moving identity allows us to continuously create campaigns through the brand across all platforms that are targeted and evolve from the core core brand visual. Just like a typical murmuration, the brand is free to flow and move, creating endless possibilities. The murmurations take flight to their random formations yet always returning to a form.