Town of Red Bay
Town of Red Bay
Red Bay, Labrador, established by Basque mariners in the 16th century at the north-eastern tip of Canada on the shore of the Strait of Belle Isle is an archaeological site that provides the earliest, most complete and best preserved testimony of the European whaling tradition. Gran Baya, as it was called by those who founded the station in 1530s, was used as a base for coastal hunting, butchering, rendering of whale fat by heading to produce oil and storage. It became a major source of whale oil which was shipped to Europe where it was used for lighting. The site, which was used in the summer months, includes remains of rendering ovens, cooperages, wharves, temporary living quarters and a cemetery, together with underwater remains of vessels and whale bone deposits. The station was used for some 70 years, before the local whale population was depleted.
Aligning promise to experience
Red Bay is a modern fishing village, but with a surprising history: it was the site of a vast 16th century industrial Basque whaling operation, largely unknown until the 1970s.
After producing Red Bay's visitor experience manual (with partner Susan MacLeod), we were asked to build a brand for Red Bay that would work in harmony with associated brands such as Newfoundland and Labrador, Destination Labrador, Parks Canada, and UNESCO.
Our place branding addresses the lack of visible heritage with a subtle piece of signature architecture—the “monument”—that encourages today’s visitors to contemplate 16th century whaling lookouts. All brand elements (logo, signage, graphics, and colours) are based on the monument's form.
Status
2013–14 (visitor experience master plan)
2015–16 (brand and wayfinding)
Our Role
Brand, architecture, wayfinding, landscape architecture
Client
Red Bay Basque Whaling Station World UNESCO Heritage Site
Location
Red Bay, Labrador