Behind Our Rebrand: “En Masse” & FAQs
It has been a really exciting couple of months for us at the studio. We have been working with Lauren (Something Else) on a new website and rebrand! Many of you may have already been introduced to our new name, En Masse Architecture and Design, but the launch of this site really makes it official. We have been chatting about and hinting at a rebrand to many of you for a while and there is an amazing amount of work to make it all happen. We wanted to do it right and really create a brand that speaks to who we are as people and who we are as a firm.
We started by finding the right partner to usher us through the process. We found Something Else and they have been an absolute pleasure to work with. Something Else describes themselves as “a flexible full-service design studio, providing bespoke creative solutions to likeminded* clients”. They go on to say they seek to work with “people who strive to make thoughtful and impactful work in a collaborative setting, without sacrificing their integrity” — which is exactly how we’d describe En Masse. With significant contributions from our communications team, Jo Communications, SE redesigned every facet of our branding, collateral, and website.
For those of you who knew us as Mike Shively Architecture, we are the same group of energetic, determined, fun, and thoughtful architects and designers but we now have a brand that represents our approach and design ethos. Mike founded MSA and built a firm dedicated to making life better through architecture; and as a part of this rebranding process, we spent time thinking and talking about, then updating that original intention. We assessed who we are, what we've done, and what we want to do. We are so thrilled to share our hard work and soul searching and the result: En Masse Architecture and Design.
We thought that we would answer a few questions about the rebrand and what it means for our business. To be clear, while we have a new name and website, our goals, services, collaboration, and approach are the same but our new brand represents who we are and strive to be.
What led to the rebranding?
Since Mike started the business on his kitchen island seven years ago, the firm has gone through changes and growth that exceeded his expectations. Soon after founding the firm, Lucas Goldbach joined the team and was quickly named Design Director. In 2020 Lucas became a partner in the business. Mike and Lucas discussed many options when thinking of a new name but ultimately decided that the firm was much more than the two of them. Our studio is home to a tight-knit group of creative collaborators; we celebrate each other’s passions and lean into our diversity. The inspiration and creative energy that comes from bringing many points of view to our work and our lives allows us constant access to new ideas — and helps us create spaces our clients fall in love with.
Will our services stay the same?
We will continue to tackle the diverse range of Architecture and Design projects that we always have. We will continue to offer our comprehensive services and client-specific design solutions. We have been working on the rebrand behind the scenes for a long time and the launch of this new site is our team’s moment to share it with the world!
How did the name En Masse come about?
After a lengthy investigation of who we are and what we bring to the table for our clients and collaborators, certain concepts became a clear indication of who we are. We are collaborative. We are more than the sum of our parts. Everyone involved in the process brings value and we learn so much on every project from clients, collaborators, contractors, etc. En Masse means “all together.” For us, that’s a reflection of the way we work, and who we are.
Thank you.
We want to offer our sincere gratitude to the many people who contributed to this rebranding process. Something Else, Jo Communications, clients who generously offered their time and feedback, and the many vendors who have created our new swag, signage, and printed materials. Lastly, we want to thank the En Masse Team for their creativity, professionalism, talent, and joy that they bring to our work everyday.