Outpost Project
design. Andrew van der Westhuyzen
07-11-2011
client. Sydney Harbour Federation Trust
medium. identity campaign print
collaborations. design. Mitchell Brown
OUTPOST PROJECT brings together more than 150 of the world’s best graffiti artists to Cockatoo Island in Sydney Harbour, transforming the island's industrial landscape into the biggest street art festival in the Southern Hemisphere.
The OUTPOST identity stemmed from characteristics of Cockatoo Island; it's remote location and raw industrial remnants formed a type of ancient civilisation. The giant machinery reminded us of tribal totem poles and mythical statues — each machine containing a new and interpretive face or mask through it's cogs, bolts and plating.
Ancient tribal cultures also inspired alternative means of treating the logotype, so we worked from an industrial stencil-face called Signplate by British designer Julian Morey, and turned it into a collection of symbols which could potentially come from a tribal language or hieroglyphics system. Linocutting was a simple means of creating truthful forms and textures for the final logotype.
The design campaign included all print collateral, outdoor and online communications.
