The Social Hub — Learn, stay, work, play, connect – a fresh look for a new breed of hotel brand
The Social Hub is an inspirational model of hybrid accommodation, with fifteen city hotels in The Netherlands, Germany, Italy, France, Austria and Spain. Known to many as TSH, The Student Hotel has long been a popular option for travelling scholars and academics. With plans to expand their portfolio further, TSH identified the need to open up their offer – to reach a larger audience whilst still remaining attractive to students. Following a change of name, Studio Dumbar was appointed to design a new visual identity.
Strategy
A new name – The Social Hub – reflects their broader, more inclusive offer with a welcoming, creative spirit. Reimagined to benefit students, travellers and locals alike, every TSH hotel offers a wide range of uniquely designed facilities, including: large communal areas, student accommodation, hotel rooms, co-working and meeting spaces, gyms, bars, restaurants, and a lively events programme. The hotels are diverse communities in their own right, where people come to learn, stay, work, play, and connect – a spirit communicated through copy-lines including ‘together, we build a better society’.
Design
It was important to remain attractive to students, whilst appealing to young, aspirational professionals either based locally, or travelling for business or pleasure. Ideal for application in print, 3D and motion, The Social Hub ‘flower’ is made up of numerous shapes, which come together to form a connected whole. Introducing a warm, versatile character to the brand, the hub symbol is silhouetted (for clarity and impact), and illustrated in playful situations: as a globe; a human eye; a ball in the retro computer game, Pong; an olive in a Martini glass, and so on. Bold, contemporary typography and a bright, primary-led colour palette support this buoyant attitude, further distinguishing The Social Hub from its competitors.
Results
Following our rewarding collaboration with The Social Hub’s in-house design team, the new visual language was applied across a vast number of touch-points, from print, digital and motion, to interior and exterior signage. Launched to coincide with the opening of their first Spanish hotel in Madrid, the identity has been received with open arms – easing The Social Hub through its present evolution and onwards, into a bright future.
