From the pits to the peaks
Glo Valley | University Final Major Project
Insight
According to the National Survey of Wales School Sport Participation 2018, engagement with snowsports among school children in Wales is low compared to the interest shown. 32,500 school aged children surveyed stated they wanted to participate in snowsports but were unable to and the results of a similar survey addressing adults suggested approximately a further 212,000 adults in Wales also had the same latent demand.
Following on from this, a UK survey taken from the same year revealed the top response at 41% to ‘barriers to UK people going on skiing holidays’ was that it was too expensive. Therefore, this brief was a proposal to brand a new winter sport resort for South Wales that explores the potential of the landscape left from old mining collieries and mirrors the sense of community within its activities/areas.
Core Thought - Where Purpose Fuels Passion
Solution
Glo Valley is a regeneration proposal for the South Wales Valleys that aims to brand a snowsport resort on the site of an old mining colliery. It celebrates its place on the coalfield by drawing on mining and industrial references. Typographic inspiration was taken from hand painted drams of coal, patterns were influenced by the structure of the pithead and colours reference the black gold that was coal.
The South Wales coalfield was renowned for delivering coal that burned the brightest and longest and this legacy instills the idea of energy which plays a key role in the branding. Glo, meaning coal, also sounds like glow to suggest the idea of bringing light and new opportunity to the area.
Brand Story | Featuring a resilient, passionate, playful and welsh tone of voice
Brand Visuals | The core symbols of Glo Valley were inspired by ski stances and techniques.
Moving Identity | From Wordmark to Submark
Reference | Audio from freeSFX.com
Wayfinding & Signage
Traditional ski areas have been given a colliery twist to highlight the fact that visitors are skiing on a coalfield. At Glo Valley the chair lifts will be referred to as the Lift Shaft to remember the miners' journeys to the coalface.
Promotional Imagery & Social Media | Coal dust and fresh power imagery...B&W imagery.
To promote Snowsport Cymru, competition results can be published across social media channels.
UX/UI Design | Website & Boot Hire Booking
Awards/Recognition |
Highly Commended, Austin-Smith: Lord Award For Design Excellence
This award was selected by Austin-Smith: Lord from work completed across all subject areas of the Cardiff School of Art & Design Summer Degree Show 2021.
“The proposals, (Glo Valley & The Manmade Hills of Governors' Island) along with being very eye-catching, successfully translated the background story and the different personalities of the two very contrasting projects.”
Tim Young | Director, Austin-Smith: Lord
