Inspired by the U.S. Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program, Walls to Bridges is an organization out of Wilfrid Laurier University that brings together incarcerated/criminalized students and students enrolled at colleges/universities to study together with the mission of creating educational opportunities in correctional settings where the experiences of teaching and (un)learning challenge assumptions, stigmatization and inequality.
This project spans logo and brand development, promotional materials and website design. Branding Walls to Bridges is a unique challenge, as it must be appealing and accessible to the program's participants, who are often marginalized or alienated by large institutions, while maintaining a professionalism appropriate to those institutions who support the program.
The new logo design incorporates a simple, abstract bridge that is hand-drawn, giving the organization a clear sense of relatability and a human touch. The coarse, scratchy quality of the line acknowledges the struggles faced by so many of Walls to Bridges’ students—the long and difficult fight against socio-economic circumstances, social stigmas and various other challenges. The sketch-based graphic is balanced with a simpler type treatment, using lowercase letters and rounded forms to project optimism and accessibility. These two elements are arranged tightly and minimally together to create a cohesive logo that is relevant to its prospective student participants while at once remaining credible to its more conservative audiences.
To address the two very different audiences for the Walls to Bridges program, two separate designs were created for the front of the business card: one clean and simple, catering to a more institutional audience, and one more dynamic for prospective participants of the program, placing a greater emphasis on the slogan as an expression of the organization's purpose. The second design leverages a drawing created by one of the program's past participants.
The drawing that inspired the new brand design, created by one of the program's past participants. It embodies the premise of Walls to Bridges, illustrating the barriers faced by criminalized/incarcerated students that are transformed into bridges to new opportunities through the innovative educational strategies of the program.
The gatefold-style brochure format was chosen for the dramatic way that it opens, intended to act as a metaphor for Walls to Bridges welcoming its participants into a new opportunity.
The project also includes an editorial piece, a report detailing the methods and effectiveness of the Walls to Bridges program, which was produced as a printed booklet.
View the full website at wallstobridges.ca.