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The sky’s the limit for Plymouth architecture practice McCaren Design Ltd which has undertaken a rebrand to mark its transformation to a worker co-op.

Now called Studio Skein, the practice is wholly owned by its employees who share equitably in decision-making and company profits.

The new name reflects the equitable structure of the company. A skein - pronounced “skane” - is the V-shaped flight formation of wild geese that gives them the strength for long migrations.

The skein share the role of leading the V, whilst the uplift created reduces the effort for the following geese. When the lead goose tires, it rotates back into formation and another goose flies to the front.

The team at Studio Skein take their inspiration from this natural phenomenon, a structure which powers the collective achievements of the flock.

With a powerful new brand identity developed by Plymouth agency Just Enough Brave and a solid client base built up during 30 years, Studio Skein said it is “ready to fly”. The rebrand marks a new chapter for the business which has traded as McCaren Design since 1992.

Hilary Kolinsky, co-director, said: “Since the retirement of Robin McCaren in 2013, we have built up the business, employed new staff, and moved into new sectors that correspond with our sense of purpose. With the transition to a co-operative structure, our new brand aligns our company name with the collective strength that has powered our growth in recent years.”

The rebrand also gives new impetus to the practice’s recent change of focus, which has seen a large increase in workload from the social enterprise sector.