The Folkoperan Opera House: Folkoperan - new graphic identity, 2

Credits & Description:

Client: Folkoperan, Opera house
Agency (& City): Lowe Brindfors, Stockholm
Executive Creative Director(s): Rickard Villard
Project leader: Pelle Holm
Production manager: Anna Tanser Wohlin
Art directors: Kalle dos Santos, Noel Pretorius
Graphic designers: Noel Pretorius, Kalle dos Santos
Final artist: Jesper Kewenter
Illustrators: Mats Johansson, Noel Pretorius
Short explanation
People’s perception of Folkoperan is largely shaped by the plays they put on, and less by their reason to be – to make opera more accessible to everyone, regardless of age and background. This was the reason for a new design programme.
We felt there was a need for a flexible identity and a songbird became the answer. This playful metaphor reflects different moods, is flexible to use and interacts with the logotype depending on the message or use. Our symbol flies, sits and sings. Sometimes he’s happy, sometimes mischievous, angry and sometimes sad. Everything depends on the performance and the context.
The Art Deco inspired Opera house building has a rich history and is home to Folkoperan and the brand. The building’s original 1930’s signage, ‘GARBIO’ was our starting point for the new identity and signage system. We took inspiration from the sans-serif letterforms of the ‘A, B, G, R , Å and Ä’ and applied them to a more modern cut of Futura. The building’s colourful red interior is carried through in our stationery and packaging.
The bird itself is also made up from typographic elements based on strict geometric shapes of the logotype’s early 20th century inspired forms. Altogether, bringingFolkoperan’s history to life in a playful way.
Description
"Folkoperan is the small opera house for everyone. We are driven by the determination to develop the art of opera, through new expression and unexpected interfaces. We work across artistic borders with opera and explore our age in depth through narrative. And we sing in Swedish. This enables us to come closer to our audience, closer to the story being told and to create new perspectives. At Folkoperan you can experience fearless opera, in its own way."