The Refinery (formerly known as Buttersfield) is a private members’ club located in the heart of Taikoo Place offering a luxurious haven to unwind and socialise with the best and brightest in the business world. As Taikoo Place has evolved over the past few decades, so too has the club advanced to meet the growing demands of the modern executive. This sense of growth and transformation needed to be reflected in the identity of their members’ club.

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Process & Design

kith&kin was in charge of leading the rebrand from Buttersfield and creating a new visual identity that embodies the club’s transition. We wanted the new identity to pay tribute to Swire’s (the parent company) unique origins in sugar and shipping. The new identity today symbolises the form of a sugar cube divided into layers. Each layer represents one of the six ascending stages in the process of distillation and refinement that transforms raw sugarcane into pure sugar crystals.

This concept is based on the refinement method at the Taikoo plant but can also be applied to the idea of personal refinement. The Icon direction is upward to reflect the aspirational qualities of The Refinery. This comprehensive rebranding was adapted and implemented in a variety of club materials, including menus, tableware, bye-laws and so forth. 

Beyond crafting a visual identity, The Refinery wanted their new branding with its sense of elegance and sophistication to be carried over to other aspects of the brand. kith&kin was tasked with a series of collateral and package designs.