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Rhythm and Vines
Gisborne · Realised · Site-wide creative direction and spatial design through Department of Arts.
Rhythm and Vines is one of New Zealand’s largest and longest-running New Year’s Eve festival, held in the scenic vineyards of Gisborne. From 2018 to 2023, Null (under the Department of Arts) led the site-wide creative direction—overseeing everything from stage design and spatial planning to branded environments and general festival theming. This multi-year partnership positioned us at the heart of one of Aotearoa’s most iconic festivals, tasked with delivering fresh, cohesive, and memorable design experiences year after year.
3D Design
Experience Design
Spatial Design
3D visualisation
Event Design
Experience
Challenge
The festival’s remote location in Gisborne posed significant logistical hurdles—especially for transporting, fabricating, and installing large-scale builds across a sprawling site. Each year, the creative scope involved multiple zones, including stages, bars, brand activations, entrances, communal areas, and bespoke pop-ups. With evolving creative needs, client expectations, and annual design refreshes, the challenge was to deliver ambitious, high-impact design outcomes within tight seasonal timelines and complex onsite conditions.
Approach
Our approach was grounded in collaboration, long-term planning, and modular thinking. Working closely with the Rhythm team, we designed and fabricated custom stage elements, signage, bar setups, entranceways, community hubs, and art installations. Each year began with months of creative development, production scheduling, and fabrication—culminating in an intensive two- to three-week onsite build in December. Across it all, we leaned into playful, context-aware design with a focus on scale, durability, and atmosphere.
The Goose Club
Output
Deliverables each year included site-wide branding, signage, and structural builds for stages like Cellar Stage, Garden Stage, Goose Club, and Rhythm Stage. We produced main entry points, flag systems, wayfinding, bar builds, food zones, and bespoke environments such as Goose Club (a pop-up club), and Cellar Stage (a techno-centric arena). We also developed brand activations for partners like Heineken and Pals, often integrating lighting design with collaborators such as Angus Muir.
Over five consecutive years, our partnership helped shape the identity and energy of Rhythm and Vines—establishing a consistent yet ever-evolving design language that matched the scale and spirit of the festival. The result was an immersive, cohesive festival experience that delivered creative value for both the audience and sponsors. Massive thanks to Jack, Jules, and the entire Department of Arts team who made it all happen.
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