Droga5’s identity for The Tide: “London’s new creative neighbourhood”

The identity for the new development in Greenwich is described as “both organic and strangely futuristic”, and aims to reflect the motion of the River Thames

Apparently London’s Greenwich peninsula — hitherto known to most as the spot where you can literally straddle time with one foot either side of the Meridian Line, or as the Millennium Dome-turned O2 Arena behemoth — is now “London’s new creative neighbourhood.”

That’s according to Droga5, which recently took on the task of creating the visual identity and campaign assets for the area’s new outdoor destination: The Tide.

The space, which opens in July, comprises a riverside linear park that will feature public artworks, including sculptures by Damien Hirst and Allen Jones, alongside landscaped trails for running, walking and meditation, according to the site.

The Tide was designed by designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro, the pair behind New York City’s High Line, in collaboration with Neiheiser Argyros and landscape architects GROSS.MAX.

As well as creating the destination’s visual identity, Droga5 was responsible for its naming. The agency says it was inspired by the site’s “unique position on the bank of the River Thames, which offers a new view of London over the water”, as well as the the idea of change to underscore both the movements of the river and the different sections of The Tide’s pathway.

The identity centres on a kinetic logo which, like the name, nods to the fluid nature of The Tide. Using its animated version as a starting point, the designs use a shimmery looping strip that morphs and twists into various formations throughout the branding’s applications.

“Both organic and strangely futuristic, it depicts both the natural and manmade elements that come together so uniquely at Greenwich Peninsula,” says Droga5. “Even in static formats, the next version of the shape is always seen entering the frame, ready to replace the previous, constantly undefined.”

The agency adds: “Calm and relaxing in some iterations, like the meditation areas and public sculpture, rhythmic and energetic in others, like the performance areas, bars and restaurants.”

The campaign was initially launched across Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, followed by a series of physical posters showing the designs in their static forms.

Droga5 also created the identity for the Turning Tides Festival, a free, three-day event of music, art, food and wellness that will take place across two weekends in July, and mark the official launch of the site.

The texture of the designs vary according to materials on which they’re used, with some images deliberately refracting and obscuring the text. The posters also include slogans such as ‘Dance the Tide’, ‘Explore the Tide’, ‘Reflect the Tide’, and ‘Run the Tide’.

The work follows on the heels of another place branding project for Droga5, the identity for Coal Drops Yard in King’s Cross, which again used a mutable identity to show the breadth of the destination’s retail offer.

The Tide

droga5.co.uk