Box Factory

A versatile visual identity designed to celebrate the enduring spirit of an architectural icon in Bend, Oregon

Client:
Killian Pacific
Project Components:
,
Credits:
River Pig event photography by Sample A. Box Factory location photography by Rich Crowder. Box Factory website by Brave New Day

The Box Factory in the Old Mill District of Bend, Oregon was originally built in 1916 as part of the production facility of the Brooks-Scanlon Lumber Company to produce shipping boxes for a wide variety of goods—everything from fruits and vegetables to soaps, cereal, and even ammunition. Centrally located between the town center and the mountains in Bend; Killian Pacific recognized the potential benefit to the rapidly-growing Bend community and painstakingly restored the property as an eclectic destination of over 35 restaurants, shops and local businesses. The team at Killian Pacific tasked us with building a visual identity for the Box Factory that would celebrate the legacy of the Box Factory while supporting the diverse range of businesses that it showcases.

The industrial history of The Box Factory along with the eclectic quality of the businesses supported by The Box Factory was a strong influence looking at typography as being a driver of the new identity. The cupola of the building stands as an iconic component of the building and made for a strong holding shape of the identity.
The logotype of the Box Factory was inspired by the Emigre typeface Brothers for its angular and machine-crafted feel. For signage, way finding and other comms, we combined the use of Brothers as a headline face with the work-a-day and pragmatic gothic sans Trade Gothic. The red color is another signature element of the property and made for an immediate and logical choice for the identity.
To reinforce the industrial sprit of place, we conceptualized Box Factory swag and collateral intended to celebrate both the history and the modern character.
To support the local businesses that call The Box Factory home, we helped to establish a visual approach to the social media feed to highlight the tenants unique offerings and events throughout the year by generating a selection of typographically driven posts to compliment the editorialized photographically-driven posts. Meanwhile, the team at Brave New Day successfully implemented our visual identity to launch a website presence for The Box Factory.