Building the brand behind a town's first park and a public space that belongs to everyone

Živý priestor is a non-profit organisation from Námestovo, a small town in Orava, a region in northern Slovakia. It brings together active people who revitalise public spaces, organise events and build dialogue between experts, the town council and residents. Its projects regularly win awards both in the Žilina Region and nationally.

Members of 204 are also members of Živý priestor. We enjoy working on projects that bring people together and create real value. We transform the landscape with renowned experts and in cooperation with the town, so the brand has to look just as professional, on a par with an organisation from a big city.

Non-profits often come across as a closed circle of a chosen few. Živý priestor wants to connect the entire town, so we built its brand principles and tone of voice on openness. We communicate in a human, friendly and apolitical way, without unnecessary jargon.
We even avoid words like "community", which can feel exclusive. In a small town, the association depends on the cooperation of most residents and institutions, and this approach allows it to work for the long term.

For Živý priestor, we created the logo, visual identity and content strategy. The layout is built on collage: we combine old photographs, textures and local illustrations with simple, quality typography in compositions on a cream background. We chose the colour palette to hold this varied material together.
Through compelling stories on social media, we show the value of public space and the town, so that people appreciate it more and take a greater interest in it. Videos and merch made from quality materials round off the brand.

Živý priestor's best-known project is Mlynské sady (Mill Orchards), a place to relax and spend time in direct contact with both nature and the town, and the first town park in Námestovo.

It was created in collaboration with many partners, so we gave it a stand-alone sub-brand. The logo carries a subtle nod to Živý priestor, but the park is meant to belong to the people. The identity is built on sensory experience.

The photographs evoke the taste of apples and produce from the orchards, the scent of flowers and wood, the touch of bark, the feel of grass under your palms and the murmur of the stream. Every year, we also organise Živý piknik (Living Picnic), inviting residents into public space.

At Spolutvoríme (Let's Create Together), town representatives, stakeholders, invited experts and the public meet around one table to discuss the future of the town and its plans.