Brand Strategy / Brand Identity / Graphic Design

As the largest college in Oregon, Portland Community College (PCC) offers high-quality, affordable education for students across four campuses. Their Rock Creek Campus and Sylvania Campus are undergoing major renovations that will significantly impact the campus experience.

Two adults walk past a white wall decorated with colorful circles and text bubbles about the Future Rock Creek project, along with a small yellow cartoon character.

At their Rock Creek campus, built in the 1970’s in rural Washington County, PCC is planning to renovate its largest building and construct additional buildings.

We developed a brand and communication plan to invite participation and share design work as it develops.

Two adults with backpacks walk past a colorful wall mural that reads "Built for community, shaped by you" in a modern indoor space.
A blue circular sign on a wall invites people to help shape the future of Rock Creek with a message in Spanish and English.

Walking through campus you’ll notice playful colored dots installed around entrances, walkways, and stairwells.

They mark locations that will be impacted by the renovations—intuitively communicating positive future changes.

Two people walk past a long wooden bench against a wall with colorful circular signs that say "FUTURE ROCK CREEK" and provide information about helping shape the future of Rock Creek.
A sign in a parking lot surrounded by trees reads help shape our campus transformation with colorful dots on the sign and pavement.
A white building wall with a blue circular sign that reads "FUTURE ROCK CREEK" is partially framed by tree branches with green and yellow leaves against a clear blue sky.
A modern building corner with large windows and a sign reading "Future Rock Check" along with the number 2 on the upper wall, surrounded by trees and bathed in sunlight.

From the naming of the project to the branded graphics and project mascot, Future Rock Creek brings together students, staff, administration, and the design team to establish trust and transparency in the process.

Aerial view of a campus layout with labeled zones highlighting connections to nature, community, and specific buildings.
Five colorful round characters with stick legs and arms are standing in a row, with the middle one holding a sign that says "FUTURE ROCK CREEK" while the others gesture enthusiastically.
An open booklet displayed in four views shows text, diagrams, and illustrations related to a place called Future Rock Creek with a map, timeline, and informational content in a clean, modern layout.

We created a brand toolkit to enable the diverse project team—from PCC staff to consultants—to communicate with consistency and confidence across channels.

Two smartphones display social media posts inviting people to share their thoughts about the Rock Creek Campus with images of people at an event and colorful speech bubbles.
People are gathered at an outdoor event under blue tents with tables covered in blue cloths displaying informational materials and signs reading "Future Rock Creek."

Following the success of the Rock Creek project, staff for the Sylvania Campus transformation asked us to work with them on a similar effort.

Two people wearing backpacks walk past a concrete building with large windows displaying yellow ribbon designs and the words "Future Sylvania."
A modern concrete building is surrounded by dense greenery and trees under a clear blue sky.
Two wavy lines, one blue and one rose, intertwine around the words Future Sylvania on a light gray background.

We created a graphic identity that leverages bold, colorful “threads” to represent the connections that the new projects will create across campus.

Aerial view of a campus with labeled areas highlighting building space for community, creativity, and new programs.
A wavy blue arrow line illustrates a timeline with labeled phases for design, build, and open spanning from 2025 to 2033.
A person stands outside a concrete building with large windows displaying yellow text and designs, surrounded by greenery and trees in the background.

The graphics appear across campus, marking areas that will be impacted by the new projects. Their scale and color enable them to stand out against the brutalist architecture.

People walk past a modern building with large glass windows decorated with a blue wave design and text, under a concrete overhang.
A person with long hair and a tote bag is looking at a blue poster on a glass door that reads designing space for campus connections and features an illustration of an outdoor campus area.
People with backpacks walk past ping pong tables in a spacious indoor area with a blue wall displaying the words Future Sylvania.
An animation shows people walking past a modern building with large glass windows labeled Performing Arts Center, featuring a red wavy line design on the windows.
A modern performing arts center with large glass windows, a red cylindrical structure, and a tall metal framework is set against a clear blue sky and surrounded by trees.
An open booklet displays pages with text, abstract colorful line drawings, and a blue page featuring the Future Sylvania logo in a clean, modern design.

A brand toolkit and messaging strategy guides communications throughout the 7+ year design and construction process.

Three posters on a gray wall promote designing spaces for community and creativity, connection and expression, and belonging, each featuring different images and a looping rose-colored line connecting them.

Special thanks to the Office of Planning and Construction Director, Rebecca Ocken, for championing this work, and the Communications Director, Thalia Martinez, for her commitment and perseverance in implementation!

Project Team

Client Team
Rebecca Ocken
Thalia Martinez
Casey Hageman (Rock Creek)
Tim Kremer (Sylvania)

Writing
Ian Deming

Illustrations (Sylvania)
Tracy Nguyen

Photography
Tom Cook

sparks+sullivan Role
Brand Strategy
Brand Identity
Communications Strategy

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