Ripon Men’s Shed

The Challenge

Men’s sheds are local non-profit organisations that provide a space for craftwork and social interaction. The movement originated in Australia in the 1980s to improve the health and wellbeing of older men.

So when asked by Andy if I would help the Men’s Shed they were setting up in Ripon, I was more than happy to be involved with this great cause. I was initially asked to create a logo for the organisation’s Facebook page. But after our initial chats, I discovered they were wanting, in time, to develop a website, advertising, literature, and more, so I had to be mindful of how their identity would work in many applications. With this project there was no brief as such; they were happy to give me a blank canvas to work with.

The Result

After researching the many Men’s Sheds out there, I wanted the new identity for the Ripon Shed to feel modern, masculine and inclusive. With the logo, I wanted this to be a literal representation of a shed, so people got it straight away. But, been mindful that there were many shed logos already out there, I wanted to somehow create something abstract and unique.

I developed the shed logo using panels as you would in constructing an actual shed to represent the craft/building of the members’ involvement. I then created the logo further to show the shed doors were wide open to symbolise the Ripon Men’s Shed is inclusive and open to all.