Caldwell
Design
D002 → Lands End
February–March 2024
A wordmark and branding system developed for Lands End, a part of the National Parks Service, in San Francisco. Lands End sits at the northwest corner of the city, where a rocky cliffside meets the ocean.
After conducting thorough research on the site and collecting various typefaces, I came up with three concepts for the wordmark. The first explored the topography of the site, seeking to communicate a place where the land meets the sea. The second study sought to focus on the park as a part of San Francisco, drawing influence from the city’s vintage street signs. The last of the three ideas communicated both the topography of the site, as well as its unique Victorian history. After careful consideration, I chose to develop concept 3, with elements from concept 2.
The result can be seen in the business card above where I have developed a final wordmark and monogram. The contrasting diagonal of “Lands” and “End,” in company with the forward slash represent the meeting of the cliffs and the sea. Location is further communicated by a blocky san serif that closely resembles the iconic 1940 street signs of San Francisco.
In honor of the legendary Sutro Baths and the Cliff House, popular public sites of leisure at Lands End in the late 19th century, I brought Victorian influences into this contemporary brand. I adapted an italicized serif that draws from the imperfect feel of Victorian letterpress to act as the primary typeface. I also incorporated a border treatment as a further nod to the era.
The poster above demonstrates how the branding system can be adapted across collateral, with the forward slash acting as a connecting thread between headline text.
Typeset in Satyr Italic and Protipo Wide.