Oh hey kids we’re back 👋 let’s talk participatory design 🙂‍↕️ #branddesign #graphicdesign #thirdspace #brandstrategy #community

Have you heard of Kulturhavna in Norway? This was once an industrial harbor, like a place for ships and cargo. Now it's being transformed into a cultural third space. Not work, not home, but something in between. The Norwegian creative agency ANSI created a visual identity for this third space that's rooted in participatory design practice. Let me explain. Shaped by its environment, the brand adapts, moves, and morphs depending on its application. Similar to how the development of Kulturhavna itself changes to meet its residents' needs, this brand wasn't just about aesthetics, but about translating people's voices into visual elements. That is what participatory design practice is. So the philosophy behind this brand is rooted in community participation. Instead of imposing a fixed design, the brand is a living system that grows and changes based on user input. The visual system is based on 375 illustrative components and 125 activity icons, culminating in almost 2 million possible configurations. Every piece, from signage to digital touchpoints and modular typography, works together to create an identity that's easy to navigate but impossible to ignore. This isn't just branding, it's a cultural framework. The identity connects physical and digital spaces, replicating something like our daily life, from wayfinding systems to event posters and social media. The participatory process led to exciting and tangible outcomes, like Kulturhavna's skatepark, sauna, basketball courts. At its heart, Kulturhavna is about connection. This third space that's not work, it's not home, that in-between. It's a place where design and culture create a space for people to find community, explore, and belong. I think it's inspiring to know that a brand is not just a logo, it can be a tool to create something like this. What do you think?