Brief:
The Western Cape Department of Economic Development and Tourism briefed us to
rebrand and create an illustrated visual identity for Salt River, primarily around a hand-
rendered typeface. This brief focuses on the foundational role of play in early education
and how it can empower the next generation of creative problem-solvers in Salt River.

Problem:
Primary education institutions in the Western Cape continue to reflect the legacy of the
colonial and apartheid era schooling systems, leaving government schools overcrowded
and underfunded. These systems prioritise obedience, rigid teaching methods, and
inflexible curricula, resulting in a narrow educational focus that limits children’s ability to
navigate complex challenges in the future, reinforcing generational inequalities.

Insight:
Play allows for the development of important skills and ways of thinking, such as curiosity, adaptability, creative problem-solving, and innovative thinking. When play is dismissed as a distraction in schooling institutions, the rigidity of the student-teacher hierarchy, inherited from colonial education models, discourages trial and error, limiting children’s ability to explore and learn through play, thus removing valuable foundations for future success.

Solution:
Foundation Work reframes play as a fundamental and necessary part of learning. It
demonstrates that foundational skills, such as critical thinking, innovation, and problem-
solving, are best nurtured through active, imaginative, and hands-on experiences. Centred around the hand-rendered typeface Play Bold, the campaign includes an interactive activity pack with perspex colour shapes, learning cards, and a pamphlet. Children use the shapes to build the alphabet, reinforcing the idea that learning is not rigid or prescriptive, but shaped creatively and collaboratively. The campaign serves as a tactile demonstration that education should empower children, rather than restrict them, building strong foundations for the future. Foundation Work is aimed at parents, educators, and policymakers who influence early childhood education.