Ruhrtriennale — Longing for Tomorrow
Once the industrial heartland of Germany, the abandoned factories of the Ruhr Valley now host one of the world’s most intriguing arts festivals. Launched in 2002, Ruhrtriennale runs in three-year cycles with an expansive program encompassing musical theatre, drama, dance, live music, performance art, installations and visual arts across a variety of venues, tackling themes such as social and global upheaval. Seeking a new identity to better reflect its progressive mindset, Ruhrtriennale appointed Studio Dumbar/DEPT®.
Strategy
Under its current leadership, the festival program looks to the future with renewed vigour, its aim: to reflect, respond, question, provoke and take action – to collaborate, and contribute. The notion of being committed, engaged and forward-looking is ingrained in the personality of Ruhrtriennale. Looking forward became Longing for Tomorrow; this artistic concept was the driving force behind our strategy for the visual identity.
Design
Building on the festival’s forward-thinking spirit, we considered its role as a portal to new perspectives, new worlds. Harnessing the visual potential of this metaphor was the foundation for the new identity. Elegant, curious and energetic, the new logo indicates a progressive attitude. In motion, the R and T slide apart – unveiling imagery and information – before reuniting; each movement enhanced by suitably industrial sound effects. Whatever the medium or message, touch-points always express a sense of movement. A broad colour palette offers freedom of choice and a playful spirit in tune with Ruhrtriennale’s festival atmosphere. These elements spring to life when combined with images made using custom software developed by our team. Blending organic and digital characteristics, the visuals appear blurred or pixelated, hinting at the new worlds soon to be revealed.
Results
Sophisticated yet playful, this is an identity for tomorrow. With three years of events and communications across myriad touch-points and platforms, longevity was just as important as flexibility. The identity we delivered is capable of evolving for each new triennial, with core elements and a focused spirit ensuring an instantly recognisable character.
