By Craig Burton
January 9, 2023It was a privilege to work on the new logo design for Te Kura o Tititea Mount Aspiring College. Not many high schools are willing to update their logos as it's often considered something not to be touched. This wasn't the case with Te Kura o Tititea Mount Aspiring College. They went ahead with the process and what resulted was a professional looking logo, packed with meaning, that would see them well into the future.
About The School
Te Kura o Tititea Mount Aspiring College is a community focused high school located above the township of Wānaka in Central Otago. The area is stunning! What an unique location. So it made sense that the outdoors play an integral role in a student's education there. A key focus is sustainability and inspiring students to be creative, curious, courageous and compassionate in everything they do.
The Old School Logo
There were a number of reasons for the decision to update the school logo. The existing logo looked dated, was difficult to reproduce, lots of different versions of the design were floating around with a lack of consistency around how it was being used.
On top of this a new multi-million dollar rebuild was being undertaken. The school's curriculum and strategic direction had evolved. So a new logo needed to reflect the new changes.
The New School Logo
Te Kura o Tititea Mount Aspiring College's new logo design is a symbolic refresh of the current literal stylised logo which is based on Mount Aspiring.
The word ‘Aspiring’ in the school name represents the hopes and ambitions of the school in helping students grow to become all they can be. Mount Aspiring, Maunga Tititea, means ‘Glistening Peak’ and was often called the Matterhorn of the South as a result of its pyramidal peak when seen from the Matukituki River. The stong triangular shape of the logo alludes to the mountain which is very sharp in appearance.
There are two koru inside the triangle shape. These symbolise some key relationships between:
- The school and Ngāi Tahu
- The staff and students
- The school and whanau
- The school and local businesses
Underpinning these relationships are the shared values between Ngāi Tahu and Te Kura o Tititea - Mount Aspiring College. These are Whanaungatanga, Manaakitanga, Tikanga and Kaitiakitanga. They are represented by the four lines that form the framework of the ‘A’ shape. Students are guided by these values in order to thrive in their learning, relate better with others and, ultimately, make a difference in the world around them.
Above the 'A' is a circular shape that symbolises the light radiating from the mountain. This ties in with Maunga Tititea (Glistening Peak) and alludes to the school being a beacon of learning in the Wānaka community.
The symbol conveys strength which ties in nicely with the kaupapa of the school.
Toitū te whenua,
toitū te tangata.
From the Board Chair - Ian Hall
"It’s been great to work with Craig on two successful projects in Wanaka in recent years. His patient and thoughtful approach generates excellent designs in my view!"
Ian Hall (Chair) - Board at Mount Aspiring College, Wānaka
Interested in a new school logo design?
I'd love to work with you on creating an unique logo design for your school. Read some of the recent projects below if you'd like to see some more examples or get in touch.
