Studio: DNCO

Place Branding For National Landing Bid

A brand that turns “bureaucratic” into everyday unexpected.

DNCO developed a comprehensive place brand strategy and identity system for National Landing, a business improvement district in Arlington, Virginia. The project repositioned the area from a bureaucratic 9-to-5 district to a vibrant, connected community, anchored by the idea of ‘the everyday unexpected’. The identity draws from the area’s organic forms, introducing a dynamic ‘N’ mark, a hummingbird mascot, and a warm, playful visual language.

Set in Rotina

Insights

The key point is the repositioning: DNCO turned National Landing from a “bureaucratic” 9-to-5 district into a place built around “the everyday unexpected,” separating why people come there from why they stay.
Research said locals associated the area with “beige,” “bureaucratic” and “Amazon,” or couldn’t place it at all; DNCO responded by emphasizing the BID’s walkability, green space, connectivity, safety and events.
The identity system is rooted in the district’s physical form: the rounded “N” mark draws from organic curves like Reagan National’s arches and Met Park bends, and the hummingbird silhouette echoes the BID’s own boundaries while signaling brilliance, curiosity and constant motion.
The visual language mixes order and play through structured Rotina paired with a script face, plus a warm palette instead of a corporate one; the system extends into a redesigned website with editorial stories, an events calendar and a data dashboard.
The rollout was broad and tactile, including suitcase stickers, a manifesto folder, hummingbird loyalty cards, keychains, stage backdrops and pavement installations, and it launched at the BID’s 20th anniversary annual meeting on 28 May 2026 with leaders like Tracy Sayegh Gabriel, Matt de Ferranti, Susan Cunningham and Don Beyer present.