How The Train Factory's logo was rediscovered in an old carriage safety mark

# The idea Helsinki is a former locomotive factory repurposed as a cultural destination with restaurants, theatre and galleries. Hasan & Partners were asked to build an identity that acknowledged the site's industrial past while making it feel current and usable for visitors and tenants.

# The starting point: a lifting mark Instead of inventing a symbolic motif, the studio found a real, functional graphic on a carriage: a safety mark indicating where to lift a train carriage during maintenance. They redesigned that utilitarian mark into a sharp letter "T". The shape works on two levels: it directly references the site's railway history and it visually echoes the building's triangular glazed skylights.

Motion: on-screen animation references the flickering, slot-based railway announcements. Letters drop into sequence in a way that recalls split-flap displays, bringing a subtle sound-and-motion memory to digital touchpoints.

# Applications and rollout The identity has been applied to wayfinding, exterior signage, brand communication, social media and a new website. The wordmark, T-symbol and motion behavior are used together to mark entrances, guide visitors and create a consistent presence online.

# Positioning and tone Hasan & Partners framed the identity as a renewal of the site's intent: the mark suggests elevation and a platform for new activity. The studio allowed a single railway pun as the brand line—"Your Next Stop"—keeping the voice light but focused on place.

# Why this works

# Quick practical takeaways

• Use found artifacts to anchor a site identity when the location has strong physical character.
• Let functional markings guide form and proportion for signage that needs to read at distance.
• Reinforce tactile materials (brick, metal cranes) with a matching palette so digital and physical assets feel coherent.
• Motion treatments that reference historical hardware (split-flap displays) can add personality without complicating the core mark.

# Bottom line The Train Factory's new identity ties a modern cultural destination back to a specific piece of railway infrastructure. The result is a compact, practical brand system that maps easily onto signage and digital touchpoints while keeping a clear connection to the site's industrial origins.