WLG - Wellington Airport
Wellington has always had heart. It’s always been wild. And 20 years ago, Everyone first told the story of Wellington Airport as Wild at Heart. Recently, CEO Matt Clarke challenged us to tell the next generation of that story. To do so, we turned to the very land that the airport stands on for inspiration.
Partnering with Kura Moeahu (Kura Moeahu Te Atiawa, Nga Ruahine, Taranaki-tuturu, Ngati Mutunga, Ngati Tama & Ngati Toa), we worked from the extraordinary ancestral story of the harbour and projected it forward to capture Wellington Airport Rangitatau as WLG, a portal to the future.
We were introduced to the story of Te Manu Muramura, the flight of that legendary bird and the rich narratives and graphic forms that are etched into the land, water and sky here. We involved airport staff, passionate Wellingtonians, local government and local artists.
We heard their stories of this airport and what it means to them and how it relates to the city. But even more than that, we heard their pride and their passion for telling a story to the world.
Bringing all that together yielded a brand that is absolutely tied to Te Motu Kairangi peninsula and yet feels visionary, transformative, futuristic and connected with WLG’s purpose to create the Airport of Tomorrow.
This is the region’s portal, where you’ll find Rangitatau – a gateway to the central New Zealand. As air technology continues to evolve, we wanted to acknowledge that the future is aerial, and that this airport will be a place of unparalleled aerial activation.
Nau mai Rangitatau. Our portal to the Universe.
“Wellington Airport has always been filled with stories…but we really haven’t had any Mana Whenua stories, stories of the land beneath the airport, and that’s something we’re really looking to introduce to the terminal and the welcome to the city”
Matt Clarke
CEO, Wellington Airport
Collaborating closely with local artist Manu Winata (Ngāti Raukawa, Te Āti Awa, Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Tūwharetoa), we explored the concept of imagining the gateway of Rangitatau - our portal to the universe. We created a suite of dimensional light portals that illustrated the entirety of the origin story, passing through the realms of sea, land and sky.
Rangitatau now serves as a portal to the universe for manuhiri returning home, a gateway to central New Zealand and a launch pad for those setting off to explore new horizons.
Wellington Airport has always been a place of swirling emotions, a place of hellos and goodbyes. Channeling that energy, we developed a photography suite that encapsulated this.
The identity of the Wellington Airport Community Awards evolved to celebrate the community spirit of Te Manu Muramura. Through the use of the bird’s flame feather, this has become a symbol of mana, connection, strength and action.
Our two-decade partnership with WLG has been one of passion, innovation, and collaboration. We can’t wait to see where the journey leads next.
