Girls Garage
Fearless Brand Design
Once upon a time, the masterminds behind Project H Design had a radical idea: a building camp for girls—a place where badasses-in-training could learn to fuse metal, swing hammers, screen print and skateboard while doing good deeds for their community and learning to harness their innate, incalculable strength.
After a few wildly successful years, the program took on a life—and a name—of its own: Girls Garage. With the name and community already in place, the organization approached Firebelly to build out the identity, create a new website and help brand their dedicated new space in West Berkeley, California.
![Young girl wearing a hard hat looking confident](https://firebelly.cachefly.net/imager/work/girls-garage/2836/b0_1__GG_01-2_Photography_v2_ed3c16965e827dd0a241775a2f444a82.jpg 1800w, https://firebelly.cachefly.net/imager/work/girls-garage/2836/b0_1__GG_01-2_Photography_v2_ee454403221da81e614f074db209e986.jpg 750w)
BRAND & IDENTITY SYSTEM
As a new organization, Girls Garage gave us the opportunity to develop an entire system from scratch. We wanted to push beyond obvious STEM-centric and outdated heteronormative aesthetics to capture a deeper narrative — one of continuous growth, confidence and audacious curiosity. The resulting system is irreverent and meticulous, anchored in sound geometry, heroic portraiture and bold colors, embellished throughout with playfully textured accents.
![Girls Garage logo overlaid on stacks of wood](https://firebelly.cachefly.net/imager/work/girls-garage/2835/b0_0__GG_01-1_Logo_v2_c88223c5bfc482768c16e9fc52ed9667.jpg 1800w, https://firebelly.cachefly.net/imager/work/girls-garage/2835/b0_0__GG_01-1_Logo_v2_cb26d228843f059b762fc3acba498b4b.jpg 750w)
![Custom font made for Girls Garage rebrand](https://firebelly.cachefly.net/imager/work/girls-garage/52273/GG_01-3_Type_v3_c88223c5bfc482768c16e9fc52ed9667.jpg 1800w, https://firebelly.cachefly.net/imager/work/girls-garage/52273/GG_01-3_Type_v3_cb26d228843f059b762fc3acba498b4b.jpg 750w)
![Young girl holding a power drill with pattern illustrations overlaid](https://firebelly.cachefly.net/imager/work/girls-garage/52274/GG_01-4_Illustrations_v3_c88223c5bfc482768c16e9fc52ed9667.jpg 1800w, https://firebelly.cachefly.net/imager/work/girls-garage/52274/GG_01-4_Illustrations_v3_cb26d228843f059b762fc3acba498b4b.jpg 750w)
![Photographers taking a photo of young girl](https://firebelly.cachefly.net/imager/work/girls-garage/52275/GG_01-5_BehindScenes_v3_c88223c5bfc482768c16e9fc52ed9667.jpg 1800w, https://firebelly.cachefly.net/imager/work/girls-garage/52275/GG_01-5_BehindScenes_v3_cb26d228843f059b762fc3acba498b4b.jpg 750w)
BRAND ELEMENTS
The custom stenciled display font invokes industrial letterforms, but with both rounded and chiseled corners suggest ongoing evolution. Finally, hand-drawn, architectural illustrations bring a distinctly human touch and, appearing again and again throughout the system, become more meaningful as girls encounter them over the course of their education. We also designed a series of custom skill badges that work in concert with a branded tote bag, creating a collection of totems signifying ownership and hard-earned accomplishment.
At its foundation, portraits of Fearless Builder Girls radiate unapologetic pride.
![Close up of measurements on a tool](https://firebelly.cachefly.net/imager/work/girls-garage/2840/b1_0__GG_02_Interstice_v2_c88223c5bfc482768c16e9fc52ed9667.jpg 1800w, https://firebelly.cachefly.net/imager/work/girls-garage/2840/b1_0__GG_02_Interstice_v2_cb26d228843f059b762fc3acba498b4b.jpg 750w)
![Two branded enamel pins](https://firebelly.cachefly.net/imager/work/girls-garage/2841/b1_1__GG_03-3_Pins_1_v2_c88223c5bfc482768c16e9fc52ed9667.jpg 1800w, https://firebelly.cachefly.net/imager/work/girls-garage/2841/b1_1__GG_03-3_Pins_1_v2_cb26d228843f059b762fc3acba498b4b.jpg 750w)
![Full set of branded enamel pins showing custom icons](https://firebelly.cachefly.net/imager/work/girls-garage/52607/GG_03-4_Pins-2_v2_c88223c5bfc482768c16e9fc52ed9667.jpg 1800w, https://firebelly.cachefly.net/imager/work/girls-garage/52607/GG_03-4_Pins-2_v2_cb26d228843f059b762fc3acba498b4b.jpg 750w)
![Red canvas tote bag with printed logo and enamel pins](https://firebelly.cachefly.net/imager/work/girls-garage/2842/b1_2__GG_05-1_Bag_1_v2_c88223c5bfc482768c16e9fc52ed9667.jpg 1800w, https://firebelly.cachefly.net/imager/work/girls-garage/2842/b1_2__GG_05-1_Bag_1_v2_cb26d228843f059b762fc3acba498b4b.jpg 750w)
![Logo with enamel pin and wrench laying on a red canvas tote bag](https://firebelly.cachefly.net/imager/work/girls-garage/2843/b1_3__GG_05-2-Bag_2_v2_c88223c5bfc482768c16e9fc52ed9667.jpg 1800w, https://firebelly.cachefly.net/imager/work/girls-garage/2843/b1_3__GG_05-2-Bag_2_v2_cb26d228843f059b762fc3acba498b4b.jpg 750w)
![Fearless builder printed certificate](https://firebelly.cachefly.net/imager/work/girls-garage/2844/b1_4__GG_03-2_Certificate_v2_c88223c5bfc482768c16e9fc52ed9667.jpg 1800w, https://firebelly.cachefly.net/imager/work/girls-garage/2844/b1_4__GG_03-2_Certificate_v2_cb26d228843f059b762fc3acba498b4b.jpg 750w)
![Two business cards next to a ruler](https://firebelly.cachefly.net/imager/work/girls-garage/2845/b1_5__GG_03-1_BusinessCards_v2_c88223c5bfc482768c16e9fc52ed9667.jpg 1800w, https://firebelly.cachefly.net/imager/work/girls-garage/2845/b1_5__GG_03-1_BusinessCards_v2_cb26d228843f059b762fc3acba498b4b.jpg 750w)
SIGNAGE
The signage in and outside of the building help make the space feel like a real destination.
![Girls Garage signage on the exterior of their workshop](https://firebelly.cachefly.net/imager/work/girls-garage/2846/b1_6__GG_07-1_Signage_v2_ed3c16965e827dd0a241775a2f444a82.jpg 1800w, https://firebelly.cachefly.net/imager/work/girls-garage/2846/b1_6__GG_07-1_Signage_v2_ee454403221da81e614f074db209e986.jpg 750w)
![Interior vinyl signage that reads Fear Less Build More](https://firebelly.cachefly.net/imager/work/girls-garage/2847/b1_7__GG_07-2_Signage_v2_ed3c16965e827dd0a241775a2f444a82.jpg 1800w, https://firebelly.cachefly.net/imager/work/girls-garage/2847/b1_7__GG_07-2_Signage_v2_ee454403221da81e614f074db209e986.jpg 750w)
WEB DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT
The website, like our young heroines featured throughout, is small yet mighty. Built with parents’ and supporters’ needs in mind, it provides a seamless, interactive and informative experience.
![Full views of various pages of the Girls Garage website](https://firebelly.cachefly.net/imager/work/girls-garage/52288/GG_08-1_WebCombined_v3_c88223c5bfc482768c16e9fc52ed9667.jpg 1800w, https://firebelly.cachefly.net/imager/work/girls-garage/52288/GG_08-1_WebCombined_v3_cb26d228843f059b762fc3acba498b4b.jpg 750w)
Complementing focused page content are dynamic stories — short, loving anecdotes that celebrate the girls who make the organization what it is and clarify for new families what their daughters are in for. We designed and built flexible page templates, making it simple to update class schedules and descriptions each term, keeping the site fresh and functional.
While purely easter eggs, the draggable register marks on the x and y axes and animated toggling on small-screen navigation still make us giddy. All told, it was one of our favorite projects and we couldn’t be prouder to be counted among the fearless, fabulous Girls Garage family.