Cities are always evolving — we’re nostalgic for what was and wonder about what will come, and when. The concept of meanwhile use was born from this: using empty space to create opportunities for people, beyond a pop-up shop time period of a few weeks to make full use of a space for the maximum period it is empty.

We worked with project visionary Lauren Ripko of Studio Q Events and Norwood to bring this concept to downtown Colorado Springs with the Meanwhile Block, a full city block in the future Park Union Business District, adjacent to the US Olympic & Paralympic Museum.

Designing a "blank slate” with personality was a top challenge, answered with a black & white modular identity and logo from, well, blocks. This allowed us the ability to infuse the brand with pattern and color when needed, and let the events, markets and art that frequent the block easily take center stage. We concepted and executed onsite brand wayfinding as well as large-scale murals and art installations that activated the block and seeded future ideas, here and at future Meanwhile Blocks across the city.