Visit Vilvoorde — Brand identity for a city in transition
Year
2022
Project type
Brand identity
Client
THX Agency
Role
Visual concept, Typography, Visual system, Applications, Developed within the Shtick team
Visit Vilvoorde is a brand identity developed for the city's tourism communication, built around the idea of Vilvoorde as a “rough diamond” by the water — a city shaped by its industrial past, diverse population and growing creative energy.
Working alongside art director Yves and the Shtick team, I developed the visual concept, typography and overall visual language. The identity builds on the idea of Vilvoorde as a city with a raw, distinctive character, where its industrial history and new energy coexist.
At the core of the visual system is the letter V, which I developed into a recurring graphic device throughout the identity. It acts as a flexible visual anchor, structuring compositions and creating recognition across different applications.
The resulting system was designed to be bold and adaptable, giving Visit Vilvoorde a recognisable visual language that could work across different forms of tourism communication.
01 — THE CHALLENGE
Vilvoorde has plenty of character, but its identity as a destination isn't immediately obvious. The challenge was to create a visual language that could make the city feel distinctive and inviting without smoothing away the raw character of its industrial past.
The identity needed to work across different forms of tourism communication while remaining recognisable, flexible and energetic enough to reflect a city in transition.
02 — THE APPROACH
The concept positioned Vilvoorde as a “rough diamond” by the water: a city with a layered history, unexpected places and plenty still to discover.
From this idea, we developed a visual language based on movement and discovery. The letter V became a recurring graphic device, used to point towards places, frame details and create a recognisable visual rhythm across the identity.
03 — THE SOLUTION
The V device became a flexible part of the identity rather than a fixed logo element. It could be scaled, rotated and repeated across photography, layouts and communication materials, giving the brand a consistent visual thread while leaving room for different content.
The system was applied across tourism communication, from printed publications and promotional materials to campaign imagery and digital applications. Together, these elements give Visit Vilvoorde a bold and contemporary identity that reflects the city's character without trying to make it something it isn't.
