Belle Isle Conservancy

For more than 170 years, Belle Isle Park has stood as a 982-acre oasis, in the heart of the Detroit River. As one of the largest island parks in the United States, it is home to historic landmarks like the oldest continually operating aquarium in North America and the only marble lighthouse in the United States.

This brand system for the Belle Isle Conservancy signals the importance and quality of the vital work they do as stewards of the island. We set out to position Belle Isle as a premier cultural institution within the Arts & Culture space. Moving beyond the identity of "just a park" to celebrate its legacy as an iconic cultural destination that mirrors the soul of Detroit.

  • The Belle Isle Conservancy came to us with a mission to honor the park’s legacy while transforming its visual identity to reflect the vibrancy of Detroit. We grounded this rebrand in the idea that Belle Isle is a portal—a place where the rhythm of the city changes and life opens up. Whether it is kids running free, music playing from open windows, or finding quiet by the water, the island is Detroit’s backyard from sunrise to sunset, for everyone.

    Our goal was to create a brand system that is flexible, warm, and inclusive. We created a strategic visual language that celebrates the community and supports the organization's stewardship of this iconic cultural institution. This identity honors the soul of the city by lifting up the people who bring the island to life every day, ensuring it remains a breath of fresh air for all.

    There are strategic, beautiful design moments infused in the brand system that speak directly to Belle Isle’s DNA. A few examples include:

    The Logo & Geometry: The primary icon features a sun and a bridge. The sun represents the "Detroit Joy" and the iconic spirit of the city, while the bridge serves as the foundational "portal" that transforms the visitor experience. Subtly, the logo geometry is built within a hexagon, paying homage to the historic ceiling window at the heart of the Belle Isle Aquarium.

    Sunrise & Sunset: Because of its unique geography, Belle Isle offers rare views of both the sunrise and sunset over the Detroit River. We built a gradient system directly from these colors. On the website, the background gradients change in real-time based on the hour, and we provided the team with a tool to generate custom gradients from their own sunrise and sunset photography.

    A Breath of Fresh Air: A core piece of our strategic positioning was the notion that the Conservancy helps keep the island "a breath of fresh air for everyone". To deliver on this, we introduced a system of small QR codes and moments of reflection placed throughout the island. These invite visitors to pause for a short breathing exercise on their phones, encouraging them to breathe deeper and find a moment of peace.

    Iconography: Belle Isle is many things to many people. We created an expansive icon system to reflect its diverse activities. From the historic Aquarium and Conservatory to the giant slide, family bbqs, and beaches. Whether visiting the Oudolf Garden or exploring the rare wet-mesic forest, key activities are represented. We also included an icon celebrating the island's vibrant car culture, featuring a subtle nod to Detroit’s "313" area code in the hanging dice. All icons are anchored by the bridge, the foundational element that lifts up the unique ways the community finds joy on the island.

    Grid System: To further infuse the island's DNA into the digital experience, we built the website on an 18-column grid. This choice directly celebrates the 18 columns found in the arches of the bridge crossing the Detroit River.

    This is a brand identity that invites the community to slow down and breathe deeper. It honors the 170-year history of the park while creating a vibrant, inclusive future for Detroit’s most iconic destination. A place for all Detroiters to call their own. As the devoted caretakers of this experience, the Belle Isle Conservancy continues to lift up the soul of the community, ensuring that Detroit’s backyard remains a breath of fresh air for everyone to enjoy. Sunrise to sunset. All year long.

  • Web Development - Lucas Vocos (Buena-Suerte Studio)

    UX Strategy - Priya Tirtha

  • Ali Lapetina, Brent Mosser, Bruna Camargo, Christina Stoever, Emily Siegel, Jon Clark, Maria Smith, Meg Jannott, Robert Buber, Trevor Walters, @4amphotographydetroit, @_lunarhaus_, @artoftoddmarsee, @cgon_, @chefcrockett, @chrismatt, @christopher.s.crawford, @detroitkitefestival, @dmchristiansen, @dylancincoooo, @js.dykstra, @kastlrock_iso, @kaushverse, @kelsieeehight, @kng_pov, @lamixtecayelmundo, @m_sugui, @marissadillonphoto, @melodia11, @mr.p_explores, @msalphotos, @olenakotko, @paulmassiephotography, @shotsbyarmon, @snappd_by_sean, @syousufdetroit