In my Visual Communications course at CCS. I was challenged to design and create an identity system for a National 826 Store.
826 National is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping young students from ages 6-18 with their writing and creative skills. The organization has eight chapters across the U.S, each with its own unique theme. The City I was assigned to create an 826 store was Eugene. A small college town near the west coast of Oregon. Eugene is a particularly unique city. Originally founded as a trading post by Eugene Skinner, the town’s founder. Later into the decade, the town began to grow as the area was lush with trees, quickly growing their town with lumber being their main economy.
I was drawn and inspired by the history of lumber and the culture of lumberjacks to create the store based around the idea of a Lumberjack company that focused on Supporting and Helping the environment rather than tearing it down.
826 Eugene, The Piner Things In Life, encourages children to look past their technologies and gadgets and focus more on the outdoors and ask how can nature interact with them. 826 Eugene also has products such as the “Tree In A Can” where anyone can buy a can filled with tree seed and dirt and be able to grow their very own Pine Tree, one of the most popular tree species in Oregon. Or they can enjoy an “Organic Soda” which is naturally sourced local water for them to enjoy.