Jackson Gilbert

Ōtautahi United, bringing professional football to Christchurch.

My project explored how a new professional football team in Christchurch could foster civic pride and strengthen community connection. The idea was to develop a cohesive sport identity that reflects Christchurch’s character and sense of place. I considered the city’s ongoing regeneration following the 2010–2011 earthquakes and the current lack of civic identity reported by many residents.

Using a practice-led research approach, I drew on Social Anchoring Theory and studies of civic identity to guide the design process. My work investigated how visual identity, branding, and storytelling can function as social catalysts—connecting people to their city through shared symbols, language, and design.

The final outcome proposed a unified club identity system, including badge, colour palette, typography, and supporting visual elements inspired by Christchurch’s landscape and cultural context. The project highlights how sport branding can go beyond aesthetics to nurture belonging, pride, and collective identity, contributing to a broader understanding of design’s role in community rebuilding.