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Southbank barricade

Southbank

Client
Lendlease
Community
Real Estate
Services
Branding
Interactive
Art Direction
Naming
Credits

Rick Valicenti
Concept

John Pobojewski
Concept, Design Direction, Design

Zach Minnich
Design

Clark Nelson
Programming

Perkins+Will
Architecture

David Wolske
Artwork

Designed while at Thirst

Southbank is a new neighborhood on the South Branch of the Chicago River, featuring five high-rise residential towers, townhomes, retail, and a one-acre park. Thirst designed a unique brand expression for Southbank, inspired by the rich creative history of the adjacent Printers’ Row neighborhood.

A collection of local visual artists were carefully curated for revitalizing the artistic traditions practiced in Printers’ Row, blurring the boundary between commercial and fine art. Work by these artists will define a unique visual expression for each aspect of the neighborhood as it is built.

Artist and former Chicago resident David Wolske was selected as Southbank’s first featured artist, commissioned to create ten unique pieces for use in all branding materials.

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Wolske’s work explores letterpress printing as a medium for creative printmaking, using historic wood type letterforms in modern ways.

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The complete vision for Southbank, designed by Perkins + Will. The Cooper is the first highrise at Southbank, also branded by Thirst.

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Construction barricade

Website

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Two of the ten unique pieces created by Wolske

Southbank wolske installation

Reproductions of Wolske’s work hang in the hallways of The Cooper — the first high-rise at Southbank.