Lateral is a real estate investment and development firm that partners with local authorities, communities and investors to deliver impactful, sustainable projects, primarily within the STEM sector. Originally named and branded by Ascend, the business had grown significantly in scale and ambition. We evolved the brand and website to reflect this maturity – creating a more robust, sophisticated identity rooted in community and impact, while retaining the distinctive energy and challenger edge that defines Lateral and supporting its next phase of growth.
Challenge & Approach
We first created the first name and brand for Lateral four years ago. Since then, the business had grown significantly – in AUM, project scale, team size, and capabilities. Following recent project successes and with more opportunities on the horizon, there was a need for the brand to evolve too.
We aimed to create a grown-up, sophisticated and robust brand and website that retained the 'Lateral edge' that has driven their success so far, but balanced with elevated capabilities and team calibre.
Leveraging Lateral’s energy, dynamism, and purposeful approach, we created a strategy rooted in community and impact, fusing STEM with lived experience. This reflected their ethos of creating synergy – with authorities communities, and investors alike.
The design system is bold, flexible, and commentary – inviting the viewer into a conversation – presenting itself at odds with typical real estate branding. The world never stands still, so neither should the brand.
"Real estate goes beyond the physical – it’s about creating living ecosystems. Our entrepreneurial approach builds for the long term, with brand as the bridge between purpose, community and enduring value."
Outcome
The new brand and website not only provide a new, look, voice and point of differentiation, but a robust platform for growth, offering full content control
Deep Making
To rise up, we first go deep down. Deep Making is where we uncover hidden truths and overlooked gaps. It’s our space for the unexpected and the different. These experiments, in-progress thoughts and unused directions are all part of our design process that help turn ideas into enduring brands.
Rising to the challenge of designing new synergy between brand and lived experience
Lateral is a real estate investment and development firm that partners with local authorities, communities and investors to deliver impactful, sustainable projects, primarily within the STEM sector. Originally named and branded by Ascend, the business had grown significantly in scale and ambition. We evolved the brand and website to reflect this maturity – creating a more robust, sophisticated identity rooted in community and impact, while retaining the distinctive energy and challenger edge that defines Lateral and supporting its next phase of growth.
