Harrison Steam: Breathing New Life into an Old Mill

Transforming an iconic historical mill into a vibrant artistic hub required creativity, flexibility, and adaptability. Harrison Steam, a restored steam-powered textile mill turned artist lofts, enlisted TIB Creative Studio to bring their vision to life through thoughtful branding and design.

Initial Concepts

The journey began with thoughtful logo concepts inspired by the industrial heritage of Harrison Steam’s mill building. The designs incorporated a stylized smokestack and a clean sans-serif typeface, symbolizing the site’s transition from a historical industrial space to a modern creative hub. These early iterations experimented with earthy tones like green and orange, evoking the mill’s rugged past while hinting at its artistic future.

Original Branding

The first finalized brand identity embraced green and orange tones, capturing the essence of the mill’s industrial roots. This version featured:

• A primary logo with a smokestack and bold typography.

• Secondary horizontal and badge-style logos for flexibility.

• A cohesive brand guide, including a simple color palette and font guidelines, tailored to the client’s budget.

• A variety of mockups showcasing the logo’s versatility across applications like signage, promotional materials, and digital platforms.

View PDF of orignal branding pitch

Pivot to Blue and Yellow

Midway through the project, the client requested a shift to a blue and yellow color scheme. Despite this being outside the initial scope, the rebranding was adapted seamlessly:

• The smokestack icon and bold typography were retained, maintaining consistency with the original branding.

• New colorways were developed to reflect the client’s desire for a brighter, more contemporary palette.

• A streamlined brand guide was created, focusing on the new colors and logo applications.

View PDF of new branding pitch

Final Results

The final brand identity combines the strength of the smokestack icon with vibrant blue and yellow hues, symbolizing energy and creativity. The designs were successfully implemented across:

• Website elements, using a WordPress template customized for the client’s budget and needs.

• Marketing materials like the preview party invite, which incorporated co-host branding and artist-specific colors.

• Branded merchandise, including tote bags and mugs, to enhance the mill’s visibility and appeal.

Website Design for Harrison Steam

Showcasing History and Creative Spaces with a Budget-Friendly Approach

Designing the Harrison Steam website was an exercise in balancing functionality, aesthetics, and a tight budget. Using a WordPress template as the foundation, I customized the site to reflect the mill’s industrial heritage and its transformation into a vibrant artist workspace. Here’s what went into creating this user-friendly platform:

• Template Customization: Adapted a pre-built WordPress template to create a clean and intuitive site that aligned with the brand’s evolving identity.

• Brand Integration: Seamlessly incorporated the original brown and green branding and later updated the site to reflect the bold blue and yellow color palette, ensuring consistency across all touchpoints.

• Historical Focus: Dedicated sections highlight the mill’s rich history, restoration process, and future vision, offering visitors a deeper connection to the space.

• Artist Lofts Showcase: Developed pages to feature the available artist lofts, complete with detailed descriptions and imagery to attract prospective tenants.

• Responsive Design: Ensured the site looks great and functions seamlessly across devices, providing an optimal user experience for all visitors.

The website became an essential platform to tell Harrison Steam’s story, attract artists, and share the vision of this unique workspace.

View the live site here https://harrisonsteam.com/