Deutsche Wohnen SE is a Berlin-based residential property company and one of the largest landlords in the German capital, operating as a subsidiary of Vonovia SE. Its current visual identity, introduced in August 2018, pairs a wordmark with a symbol derived from the company’s architectural heritage. The mark is built around the letter “D” for Deutsche, enclosed within an abstract horseshoe form that references the famous Horseshoe Estate in Berlin-Britz, a UNESCO World Heritage site developed by the company’s predecessor GEHAG. [1]
Design and History
The current Deutsche Wohnen logo was introduced in August 2018 as part of a broader corporate design refresh. It was the second visual rebrand in the company’s history, following an earlier identity update in 2009. The company did not issue a formal press release announcing the change; instead, the new identity was revealed through a relaunch of the corporate website deutsche-wohnen.com. [2]
The symbol combines the company’s initial “D” with a horseshoe outline. The horseshoe motif is not arbitrary: the Horseshoe Estate (Hufeisensiedlung) in Berlin-Britz, built between 1925 and 1930 by the Bauhaus architects Bruno Taut and Martin Wagner, was commissioned by GEHAG, the company that merged with Deutsche Wohnen in 2007. According to Deutsche Wohnen’s own account, the estate’s horseshoe shape “was also the basis for the GEHAG company logo – and now that of Deutsche Wohnen.” [1] The company’s official history confirms that GEHAG was founded in Berlin in 1924 and merged with Deutsche Wohnen in 2007. [3]
As with the previous signet, the current logo retains the initial letter of the company name as a central element. [2]
Meaning and Symbolism
The horseshoe form in the Deutsche Wohnen logo carries a direct architectural reference. The Horseshoe Estate is one of Berlin’s best-known large housing estates and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Its distinctive curved layout gave the estate its name and provided the visual basis for the GEHAG logo, which Deutsche Wohnen inherited through the 2007 merger. [1] Deutsche Wohnen’s official history notes that the company’s roots date back to the founding of GEHAG in 1924, and that the company owns four UNESCO World Heritage estates, including the Horseshoe Estate. [4]
Typography and Design
The 2018 rebrand included a change in corporate typography. Deutsche Wohnen replaced the DIN typeface with Typold, a typeface designed by the British type designer Jonathan Hill that became available in 2017. The corporate color was also standardized to a strong ultramarine blue, replacing the various grey-blue tones the company had previously used depending on the application. [2] Brand asset databases list the primary corporate color as hex code #1006A0, identified as ultramarine. [5]
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