klangwelt toggenburg
embedded in the foothills of the alps in eastern switzerland, klangwelt toggenburg (sound world) is offering unique experiences on the subjects of sound, resonance, tradition, voice and much more.
on the occasion of the opening of the klanghaus (sound house) by architects meili peter and staufer & hasler in 2025, we rebranded the cultural institution. the new contemporary visual identity reflects the transformation of the klangwelt from an ‹insider tip› to an institution with international appeal.
the centerpiece is a tailor-made dynamic custom typeface that can be modularly expanded using recurring letter elements – creating a typographic resonance inspired by overtones, sound frequencies and the mountains and valleys of the alpine landscape.
in addition to the typography, the brand architecture, imagery, color palette, materiality, animations and layout principles were also redesigned during the comprehensive process.
the implementation covers all media – from stationery, brochures and posters to trailers, signage, social media, merchandising and a completely new website.
an extensive design manual documents the basic rules of the identity and sets the guidelines for future applications.
the new design was first used for the opening of the updated klangweg (sound trail) in 2024.
play to listen to the sound logo
project details
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klangwelt toggenburg is a cultural institution in eastern switzerland dedicated to sound, resonance, voice and regional traditions. with the opening of the new klanghaus in 2025, the institution entered a new chapter, evolving from an insider tip into a cultural destination with international appeal. the challenge was to develop a contemporary visual identity that reflects this transformation while preserving its strong connection to the acoustic and cultural heritage of the region.
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the new identity is built around the idea of resonance. inspired by sound frequencies, overtones and the characteristic landscape of the toggenburg region, the concept translates acoustic phenomena into a distinctive visual language. the identity connects the intangible qualities of sound with the physical forms of the surrounding mountains and valleys.
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at the heart of the identity is a bespoke, modular typeface developed specifically for klangwelt toggenburg. recurring letter elements can be expanded and combined to create expressive typographic forms, echoing the principles of resonance and vibration. this flexible typographic system is complemented by a new brand architecture, imagery, colour palette, material language, animation and layout principles.
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the visual identity was rolled out across a comprehensive range of applications, including stationery, brochures, posters, trailers, signage, social media, merchandising and a new website. an extensive design manual defines the principles of the identity and provides guidelines for consistent use across future applications.
the new design was first introduced for the reopening of the klangweg sound trail in 2024, ahead of the opening of the klanghaus in 2025.
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client: klangwelt toggenburg
year: 2024–2025
location: toggenburg, eastern switzerland
services: rebranding, brand identity, concept development, art direction, graphic design, custom typography, animation, digital design and design guidelines -
studio marcus kraft (concept, art direction & design), david jonathan ross (font engineering), miriam palopoli (animation), beat belser, ralph brühwiler (photography), axel kindermann (camera & video editing), vitamin 2 (website development), christian zehnder (sound logo)
klangwelt toggenburg:
mirjam hadorn (ceo), christian zehnder (artistic direction), edi hartmann (operations management), eva macartney (visual communication & marketing assistance), corinne zimmermann (project lead multimedia)