City of Armadale — Anthologie

Creating a community-owned identity for Armadale's newest civic destination

When the City of Armadale began transforming the area surrounding the future elevated Armadale Station into a major new community precinct, they saw an opportunity to do more than build a park. They wanted to create a destination that genuinely reflected the people, culture and stories of Armadale.

Rather than making naming and branding decisions behind closed doors, the City committed to one of the largest community engagement processes undertaken for a civic identity project in its history. The ambition was simple: create a place that people could see themselves in, feel ownership of, and be proud to call their own.

Anthologie was engaged to lead a collaborative naming and identity process that would bring together Elders, Councillors, staff, community representatives, young people and local residents to shape the future identity of the precinct.

Our Approach

We designed a multi-stage co-design process to uncover the values, stories and aspirations that would ultimately inform both the precinct’s name and visual identity.

Working closely with the City, we facilitated a series of workshops with Aboriginal Elders, elected Councillors, community stakeholders, youth representatives and local residents. These sessions explored themes of belonging, renewal, curiosity, healing, connection to Country and community pride.

The process was designed to move beyond consultation and into genuine participation. Rather than asking people to react to predetermined ideas, we invited them to imagine what the precinct could represent for future generations and what role it could play in the evolving story of Armadale.

Through this engagement, two creative territories emerged strongly: Urban Sanctuary and Wonder & Adventure. Together, these themes reflected a place designed for gathering, exploration, rest, play and connection.

Naming a Place with Meaning

The strongest idea to emerge from the engagement process centred on the concept of a welcoming civic heart.

This led to the development of Karlup Journey Place.

Karlup, a Noongar word meaning homeland or heartland, reflects the precinct’s role as a place of belonging and connection. Combined with the idea of a journey, the name acknowledges both the movement of people through the new transport hub and the broader story of Armadale’s transformation.

The naming framework extended beyond the precinct itself, creating a cohesive family of place brands including Banksia Summit Park and Cockatoo Creek Park, each connected through a shared narrative and visual language.

Bringing the Story to Life

The visual identity draws directly from the landscapes, flora, fauna and cultural character of the Armadale region.

A hand-drawn illustration system celebrates native species and local ecology through a collection of organic forms that feel warm, welcoming and distinctly local. Inspired by the natural environment, the colour palette references the banksia woodlands, jarrah forests, wetlands and the warm tones of the Darling Scarp.

The result is a place brand that feels less like a traditional civic identity and more like an invitation; vibrant, approachable and full of personality.

Importantly, the identity was designed as a flexible placemaking system, capable of extending across signage, wayfinding, events, communications, digital channels and future activations while maintaining a consistent sense of place.

The Impact

The project demonstrated what can happen when communities are invited into the creative process from the beginning.

Through extensive engagement and co-design, the City of Armadale created an identity that reflects local voices, honours Aboriginal perspectives and builds a stronger sense of ownership among residents.

Today, Karlup Journey Place stands as more than a name or a visual identity. It represents a shared vision for Armadale’s future: a welcoming urban sanctuary where people can gather, explore, connect and belong.

By placing community voices at the centre of the process, the City has laid the foundations for a destination that feels genuinely of Armadale, created not just for the community, but with them.