Gurrowa Place is on the land of the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people of the Kulin Nation – in Naarm (Melbourne). Situated beside the iconic Queen Victoria Market, it makes up part of the city that has reflected Melbourne at its most vibrant and multicultural for generations.
Lendlease were given the opportunity to shape a new chapter of this storied location – partnering with the City of Melbourne and Scape to develop a mixed-use precinct where work, life and play converge.
Beyond this, it was also an opportunity to shape a place that respected and recognised the area’s rich First Nations history. Lendlease have worked alongside Elders to make sure the stories of the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung were honoured in every layer to the place’s fabric.
Gurrowa Place is for all of Naarm – an expression of the city’s cultural vibrancy and textural hues. It’s a meeting place for First Nations and all nations alike, where dialogue, culture and experiences are exchanged and interchanged. A place that feels alive with the stories of the past, the diversity of the present and the vitality and resilience that defines its future.
This set the tone for an identity system that embodied and expressed the idea of exchange and interchange – with a deep and authentic connection to First Nations culture at its core. That felt quintessentially Melbourne, but also reflective of this iconic corner of the city too.
We collaborated with Naarm-based First Nations painter, artist and comedian Aretha Brown – who is also the creator of the Kiss My Arts collective. Aretha’s commitment to First Nations historical education – and for taking art into public spaces to challenge stereotypes about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples – made her the ideal collaborator for a bold, expressive visual identity.
We commissioned Aretha to bring her unique artistic style – and worked together to tell the story of Gurrowa Place through bold simple-yet-bold motifs. From the bustling Queen Victoria Markets and the variety of produce it offers, to Naarm locals dancing as a tram rattles by. The composition is eye-catching and authentic, offering a glimpse into all the sides that define this part of Melbourne – while honouring the energy and diversity of this one-of-a-kind interchange and the role it will continue to play in the city’s social fabric.
This significant and striking collaboration with Aretha – and her bold illustration – led the brand identity, telling the rich story of Gurrowa Place in lively and organic motifs. The artwork reflected the eclectic culture, Country and future of Gurrowa Place as a thriving point of life intersecting in Naarm.
Aretha created detailed illustrative stories of Gurrowa and bold borders that frame imagery and messaging, adding further dimension to the identity. She also hand-illustrated the Gurrowa Place logo, along with bespoke textural patterns inspired by mangroves and saltwater netting. Having Aretha’s unique style taking form in so many ways gave Gurrowa Place a graphic language all of its own.
The meaningful colour palette further reflected unique elements of the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people’s culture, Country and the history of the Kulin nation. This included bright yellow to represent Muyan (wattle) a symbol of remembrance, and shades of olive to capture the colours of the Wurun (manna gum), which forms part of the Wurundjeri name.