Machty hobby club in Karelia

As in most "peripheral" towns in Russia, the word "club" here in Sortavala was associated either with a hopelessly Soviet building from the agitprop system, or with the most primitive incarnations of the "nightclub" concept from Russia's "time of troubles".

We built the brand concept around a playful, deliberately bright and romantic take on the maritime theme. Our "Machty" (masts) are our "mechty" (dreams)! The fashionable descriptor "Hobby Club" cancels out the unwanted associations and attracts a young audience. The logo is built using a mixed style of nautical flag bunting and geometric shapes reminiscent of puzzle pieces. Recognising the centre's name in this form requires a little intellectual effort, for which the visitor is immediately rewarded with a generous emotional payoff. "All routes are open" — this is your start on the road to your dream! Our new hobby club offers opportunities that were previously unavailable here, but are so important for young people today. Everyone has their own dream and their own road, but all routes are open! Bright contemporary colours, stylish geometry in the decorative style and typography, and to this lively mix we also added the joy of visual play and a touch of romantic light-heartedness. The maritime semaphore alphabet and multicoloured flags, familiar to everyone from children's books, set a positive mood and promise great prospects. The interiors feature natural motifs, allusions to Karelian cliffs, open waters and the fresh Ladoga wind filling the sails of dreams on the "Machty" (masts) of our ship!