Kresen Kernow Brand Design

Client

Cornwall Council

Role

Brand design, heritage BID

Location

Cornwall, UK

Project

Kresen Kernow was created as Cornwall’s new flagship archive and library, bringing together the Cornwall Record Office, Cornish Studies Library, and the Cornwall and Scilly Historic Environment Record for the first time.

Housed within the restored Redruth Brewery at the heart of the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site, the project combined major heritage regeneration with a bold new public offer.

With £11.7m secured from the Heritage Lottery Fund and Cornwall Council, the centre needed an identity that could reflect both the historic setting and its role as a modern, open, world-class research destination.

Our approach

Working in partnership with the project team, ABG Design defined the brand principles, tone of voice, and visual language for the new archive.

The brand mark was taken to public consultation, with more than 600 surveys completed to gather feedback and shape the final direction.

Solution

The resulting brand identity design captures the distinctive architecture of the brewhouse and Kresen Kernow’s ambition to be a welcoming home for Cornwall’s stories.

Rolled out across communications and launch materials, the brand supports the archive’s role as a state-of-the-art centre for researchers, residents, and visitors alike.

After completing the brand, we also supported the team in securing further investment through another successful Heritage Lottery bid.