Turning passion for aquatic sports into leadership potential
Deliverables
Logo Design
Design System
Style Guide
Tone of Voice
Environment Design
Wave is the only Olympic-class aquatic sports academy in Saudi Arabia.
Although they already had a brand design, CEO Reinhardt Strijdom wasn't entirely convinced it quite matched his vision and ambition for the academy.
He felt the visual identity design was weak and incomplete, and similarly the interior fit out of the academy didn't capture the energy and dynamic he wanted to convey.
They came to us via a referral with a familiar story; they had tried numerous local agencies in the Kingdom in search of help to provide the facelift their brand desperately needed, but had not found one that matched both the quality nor creativity they were looking for.
"We're building the champions, in and out of the water, of tomorrow"
We build champions
It takes a lot of mental and physical strength stamina to become a world-class athlete, and Wave has high standards and expectations.
Students need to face the gruelling regime with dedication and self-sacrifice, however the results speak for themselves – almost every winner of local and regional championships in the past decade has been a graduate of the academy.
It was with these insights that we approached the brand design.
We wanted to avoid the obvious and tiresome cliché's; water, waves, swimming, etc. and inspiration came as we pondered how regimental you need to be to become a world-class athlete, which led us to look at military insignia.
The variations of stripes and chevrons influenced the visual style, whilst the slanted line that is the brand signature identifier is taken from the dramatic change in depth in swimming pools.
Artfully done
The weight of the signature line also informed the iconography for the wayfinding and signage system we designed, giving the whole identity an integrated and cohesive look and feel.
We built out a layout grid, guidelines for implementation, and provided templates for print and social media comms, and a website that delivers a concise and interactive brand and service presentation in a neat and tidy package.
However what makes our work for Wave stand out from most other projects we've done (and make the academy stand out) is the signature artwork we were commissioned to create for the flagship centre in Riyadh.
Composed of abstract figure performing various swim techniques, they dominate the view everywhere you look, and set the tone for your experience at the academy.
We created eight original pieces in all, and each tells a particular story – for example covering the walls of the two pools are two enormous pieces that symbolise the journey from amateur to professional.
The exterior facade is dominated by a composition of a swimmer emerging from the water - it commands attention.
The final result is an experience unlike any other swim academy - one that leaves a lasting impression and never fails to garner praise and accolades.
