Bognor Regis Sports Club approached me to design a club crest with the goal of creating a more cohesive and contemporary identity, combining squash, football and predominantly cricket, while preserving the heritage and pride associated with the individual sport clubs that use the venue.
The Challenge
The primary challenge was to create a crest that felt rooted in tradition while improving clarity. As with many heritage-led identities, the balance between honouring legacy and introducing modern refinement was central to the project.
Key objectives included:
- Combining complex visual elements for 3 sports
- Creating a balanced composition
- Creating something contemporary that could be placed on the exterior of the clubhouse and instantly advise the viewer what the clubhouse was for
- Incorporate elements from the Sussex county crest
Research & Discovery
I began by reviewing existing sports club identities, crests, and heritage emblems to understand common visual language and establish opportunities for differentiation.
Stakeholder conversations helped identify the club’s core brand values: community, pride, heritage, and sporting excellence. These values became the foundation of the creative direction.
Concept Development
Initial development focused on multiple crest structures and symbolic arrangements, exploring how best to represent the club’s identity while maintaining a strong, recognisable silhouette.
Sketching and vector experimentation helped refine hierarchy, spacing, and detail, ensuring the design remained visually impactful across a range of scales.
Design Solution
The final crest delivers a refined identity that balances tradition with modern clarity.
A structured shield form provides a strong heritage-led foundation, while contemporary typography and stylised detailing improve legibility.
The final design was built to perform at large scale, with colour variations to be printed on beer mats in the clubhouse bar.
Outcome
The redesigned crest provided Bognor Regis Sports Club with a strong visual identity, helping modernise the brand while preserving the heritage and sense of pride valued by its members and community.
This project reinforced the importance of combining strategic thinking, stakeholder collaboration, and strong visual craft to create an identity that’s both meaningful and functional.
