Bouldering Project was founded in Seattle in 2011 on the premise of a boutique and local climbing experience. Now, with the opening of it’s fourth gym, we were faced with the challenge of scale and how we can keep the soul of Bouldering Project while executing a complex build in a historic building.

It was important that the visual system not only draw on the legacy that “SBP” had established throughout the last decade, but also build a sense of place unique to the U District building and position for the future.

To do this, I focused on three elements:

First, I anchored the opening materials in a hand-made texture inspired by the marble found inside the historic building.

Next, I developed the color palette in tandem with the interior space—with nods to the iconic BP climbing wall color—to again establish a familiarity.

Finally, the typography, specifically in the posters was executed to reflect the U District’s physical location on a prominent University District corner.