The OKC Boathouse Foundation approached us to create an identity for the Boathouse District. From that parent brand, they wished to also create logos for the sports and facilities located on the Oklahoma River, which has rapidly emerged as one of the preeminent urban aquatic venues in the world.

The unique sense of “place” had to play into the identity to make it both unique and genuine. The triangular shapes in the left of the logo are patterned after the distinct Elliott and Associates designed triangular boathouses found in the district. The columns on the right represent the architectural oars in the first boathouse design as well as the distance markers along the river and the lines found on the boathouses themselves. The vertical reflection is indicative of water, as the top triangular boathouse and columns shape is mirrored below, and the overall shape is of the hull of a boat cutting through water. All the visual elements combine to create a star—the Boathouse District’s Champion Star.

The marks made waves in the community, giving the Boathouse District an identity the international rowing community and Oklahoma City can get behind.

See the case study