Vestlendingen is a new online news magazine in Norway, released in Bergen, August 20th. Vestlendingen is published by editor-in-chief Mathias Fisher, Initiativ Media, and part of the think tank Initiativ Vest. Vestlendingen’s motto are; “We see all of West. We see Norway from West”.
The launch had both political and cultural celebrities attending, see who came here. Aftenpostens commentator; Frank Rossavik wrote about the launch in Aftenposten newspaper edition. Rossavik compares it to Andy Burnham’s ambitious UK plan; ”Can Western Norway become Norway’s Greater Manchester”? Aftenposten is one of the studios former redesign and brand design projects.
The studios scope was to create a new brand, logo and design with an “intellectual editorial look and feel”. The Norwegian literary and writing style is toned down and defined by understatements. We wished the design to feel selv evident and natural too.
View the studios design in this video short
The studios inspiration and references were; the magazine; fact:, 1964, and its upfront use of Times New Roman and a beautiful custom-drawn nameplate of Caslon 540, designed by the legendary Art Director and typeface designer; Herb Lubalin.
We were curious to create a look mainly based on one typeface; Feature and its version Feature flat and Eugenio Sans, Commercial type, creating a type driven design with today’s digital conditions and opportunities.
Vestlendingen is divided into clear subjects such as; news, reportage, interviews, debate and culture and the editor wished me to find the right colours to communicate the brand and the editorial content.
The colours are inspired by Vestlandet; a unique Nordic landscape that inspired artist over the centuries from Edvard Griegs music to Mission impossible; where Tom Cruise climbs at the breathtaking and iconic Pulpit Rock.