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Long Line Classic
Gisborne · Realised · Site, stage and environmental design through Department of Arts.
Longline Classic is a locally run one-day daytime festival based in Gisborne, Aotearoa New Zealand. Under the Department of Arts, we delivered full creative services across the site from 2020 to 2023. Our scope included site design, staging, and decor, helping to bring a vibrant, distinctly Kiwi atmosphere to the coastal setting.
3D Design
Experience Design
Spatial Design
3D visualisation
Event Design
Experience
Challenge
The isolated location of Gisborne posed logistical hurdles, requiring meticulous planning for transport and fabrication. With a modest budget and a multi-stage setup catering to approximately 3,000 attendees, we had to design flexibly while maintaining impact. Capturing a true sense of “Kiwiana” — without leaning on cultural clichés — was essential, calling for surf-inspired, homespun assets that felt authentic and local.
Approach
Our design response was rooted in collaboration with festival directors Kurt and Brucey. The creative leaned into iconic Kiwi aesthetics — sun-drenched, laid-back, nostalgic. Materials were carefully selected for cost-efficiency and ease of transport, with a focus on custom plywood and ACM structures. Programming and stage genre shaped the visual identity of each area, with practical solutions for navigation and signage also integrated.
Site flag designs
Output
We designed and delivered three unique stage environments per year, tailored to the musical programming and spatial layout. This included stage facades, site-wide flag systems, entry portals, signage, and crowd flow elements. A notable addition in the first year was the creation of CNC-cut Feel Good Fish — whimsical offcuts from the fabrication process that were painted, rolled, and handed out to the crowd as a humorous and memorable form of audience “dressing.”
Over three successful years, Longline Classic grew into a signature summer event. Despite budget and location constraints, our design output helped solidify its identity as a joyful, homegrown celebration. The Kiwiana-inspired design language resonated with audiences, and the Feel Good Fish activation became a beloved anecdote from the festival’s history.
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