Injecting new life into an abandoned train yard

Repurposing the old to energise the new. The monumental space was once a bustling train factory where the majority of Finnish locomotives were manufactured. As the city's urban landscape evolves, this historic site has been reimagined as a vibrant destination for food, drinks, sports, and culture. Housing everything from modern dining to theatres and gallery spaces. The challenge was to create a brand that could honour the site's rich, hardworking legacy while establishing an inviting, modern gathering place.

Surveying the factory and the train cars, a key insight emerged: the foundation of the new identity was already embedded in the physical history of the site. We discovered a functional, graphic symbol on the sides of train cars, indicating maintenance lifting points. We repurposed and redesigned this utilitarian mark into the brand's primary "T" logo. This mark transforms a mechanical directive into a symbol of elevation, representing a platform for a new expression of activity, culture, and entertainment.

We gave The Train Factory a renewed role and energy, inspired by its train yard legacy. The logotype and signage type set in Gotham, has its inspiration in the Finnish locomotive numbering styles and is combined with a robust, industrial headline style. The colour palette is sourced from the building itself, the red of the iconic brick facade and accents of yellow and grey-blue pulled directly from leftover factory markings and the heavy cranes still visible within the space.

The messaging emphasises the venue’s role as ‘Your Next Stop’ for food, drinks, culture, or sports. By evoking the language of trains and railways to be an open invitation to discover something new.

The result brings this historic space back to life with a brand that references its industrial past through a new, lively attitude. By transforming a former manufacturing hub into an energetic cultural landmark, the identity creates an adaptable foundation that allows space for a vibrant new community to grow, develop, and make the venue their own. It ensures that The Train Factory remains a vital engine of Helsinki’s cultural landscape for decades to come.