I love brand systems in which type does the heavy lifting for a significant and meaningful reason. So I was instantly drawn in when I saw the vibrant identity created by Chicago’s Span Studio for the city’s newest public park, South Side Sanctuary.
South Side Sanctuary isn’t just any park. It symbolizes reinvestment in the historic Bronzeville neighborhood, a community with a deep thread of African-American business, arts, culture, and activism in the early 20th century. Louis Armstrong, Ida B. Wells, Quincy Jones, Nat King Cole, Mahalia Jackson, Richard Wright, and Bessie Coleman all called Bronzeville home. But like so many historically Black neighborhoods, Bronzeville intimately experienced the brunt of race-based economics and decades of disinvestment.
Awarded funding through the mayor’s Public Outdoor Plaza program (POP!), South Side Sanctuary emerged from a vacant lot at 47th and Martin Luther King Drive into an important retreat for the community, with space for “performance, pop-ups, and simple silence.” There is also infrastructure for sports and recreation—notably skateboarding, which I was surprised to find out is still illegal in much of Chicago.
As the park transforms a vacant lot within a historically disinvested community into a gathering space for all, the logotype embodies the idea of transformation.
— Nick Adam, Design Director at Span
The logotype features custom typography that echoes the linear architecture and the unique typography of the site, with a unique stencil form paying homage to the historic Bronzeville bench by Chicago artist Apache Wakefield.
“Our custom-drawn Sanctuary logotype conveys the uniqueness of this public park. As the park transforms a vacant lot within a historically disinvested community into a gathering space for all, the logotype embodies the idea of transformation,” said Nick Adam, Associate Partner and Design Director at Span. He goes on to explain some of the team’s inspiration and vision for the type. “The flexible design of the logo, which can be arranged vertically and horizontally, mirrors the park’s flexibility to host various activities, from community events to weddings to skateboarding. The bespoke, stencil, uppercase letterforms offer a feeling of utility or building, aligning with the park’s mission of community building. The unusual uppercase descenders highlight the park’s unique topography, specifically designed for skateboarders and BMX bike riders.”
I love the how the vibrant color palette leans into the urban architecture (pink and teal commercial grille doors, gray concrete), the idea of being in service to the community (reflective vest red), and a space to enjoy nature (purple and green). The typography and color system work together incredibly well across various contexts, from outdoor to print to digital to fundraising merch.
South Side Sanctuary officially opens today, August 6.
Learn more about the project and Span’s collaboration with the founders, Cecilia Cuff and Jasmine Anwuli, Future Firm architects, and partners such as Black Girls Shred, a nonprofit dedicated to increasing access for Black women in competitive sports and sports careers.
Imagery courtesy of Span Studio.