Nelmin-Nos

nenets autonomous okrug

Nelmin-Nos

Branding with a wayfinding system for an out standing ethnic village.

"Time is palpable. While in tundra, one second stretches into the eternity of the polar night and shrinks into a shot of tynzei. That's why the tundroviks don't rush time. It pours from nothing to nothing through the neck of the tundra. Drip, drip, drip! Ability to wait is an innate talent not to squander on trifles. Patience is the certainty that infinity has its limits. It smolders with a cigarette up to its nails. The smoke of regret is to the wind!" (From the book "Raindeer men" by Alexey Sukhanovsky, Russia, 2009)

Client: NAO Business Development Center

Work: Branding, wayfinding system

2019

One week till the summer in 2018

Nelmin-Nos is an ethnic village in Zapolyarny district in Nenetsky Autonomous okrug of Russia. In context of tourist development, it could be a place of interest by its identity and the isolation of local people's lives. A few family and clan communities of 8 indigenous minorities of the North are located here. You can get acquainted with the customs and life of modern reindeer herders, learn how the heirs of nomadic communities live in modern times, and visit museums.

Nenets tambourine is the main symbol of the village

When you visit the village, you are struck by the fact that Nelmin-Nos lives in its unique rhythm of life and time, being remote from the city and deprived of direct transport accessibility. The pace of life in it is more familiar to man, devoid of bustle, haste and artificiality. The tourist slogan "Life in the rhythm of the tundra" reflects this idea. The graphic symbol of the city was an image of a shaman tambourine - the most important and recognizable symbol of the culture of the Nenets people.

Nelmin-nos logo is a nenets tambourine reference

Nelmin-Nos logo

Nelmin-Nos logo mini

guidelines

To the right is administration center

Font

Both neutral, modern and legible, Siberian font made by Oleg Matsuev is one of the most important elements of the brand. One of the most noticable aspects of it — is a lack of cursive and caps letters, which adds atmosphere and the feeling of intonation rythm, that therefore lacks typical pauses and accents. What especially nice is that this font is playing against the pseudo-historical stylizations we hate and the imaginary tides toward the specific historical period, making it totally looking out-of time. Not to say anything about its international and outstanding vibe.