As the new year begins, many are embracing fresh starts, new routines, and for some, a temporary break from alcohol. But if you happen to be in London this winter, Guinness may have just given you a very well-crafted reason to bend the rules.
Opening to the public on December 11, the Guinness Open Gate Brewery London is a 54,000 square meter destination spread across three buildings in Covent Garden’s historic Old Brewer’s Yard. The experience includes brewing, food, retail and community, and navigating it all is part of the story. That’s where Dalziel & Pow, the global strategy and design studio behind the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin, steps in.
Rather than treating signage as a functional afterthought, Dalziel & Pow approached the project as a storytelling system. The guiding idea, Discover the Unexpected, is expressed through a playful, character-driven visual language that feels unmistakably Guinness while responding to the energy of Covent Garden.
On the outside, signage is inspired by the most iconic Guinness symbol of them all: the perfectly poured pint. Matte black directory panels display bright white ‘headers’ that double as navigation aids and brand moments. Subtle layers of color beneath the surface hint at the identity of each building, while hand-painted signs, striking black arrows and traces of small golden harps guide visitors through the site.
Inside, the system becomes even more expressive. Dalziel & Pow worked with Mason London to reintroduce much-loved Guinness characters, including the toucan and sea lion made famous by John Gilroy. These illustrated figures interact with signage, stairs and walls, turning movement through space into a series of small discoveries. Hand-drawn ‘pub facts’ and large typographic moments transform transitions into moments of delight and learning.
Retail also plays a central role. The Guinness Good Things pop-up store is conceived as a flexible platform for short-term collaborations with artists, designers and brands, housed in an industrial shell layered with murals and digital facades. Nearby, the Guinness Goods Market Store offers a vibrant, local shopping experience, complete with bottle personalization and an ‘Our Beers’ wall celebrating the brand’s reach.
The result is a signage and retail system that feels warm, human and deep. It’s proof that when navigation, storytelling and brand identity align, even finding your way to a pint can become part of the experience.
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