Creating a fluid identity for Rotorua Lakes Wastewater Services

For the Rotorua Lakes Wastewater Services bid, Ferrovial, Broadspectrum, Cadagua, Jacobs and Spartan came together as a joint venture (JV) under the name Newai. We worked with the JV to create a brand and illustrated cover that brought Māori cultural symbolism together with a modern visual style, giving it a distinctive alternative to a more conventional corporate approach.

Creating a visual identity rooted in Māori culture called for careful research and learning. The brand needed to draw on a Māori word and symbolism while feeling relevant across different cultures. The illustration also had to feel contemporary without becoming too playful. 

We used the mātau, or fish hook, as a central motif. Associated with prosperity and safe travel over water, its shape also suggested a water droplet, making it a natural fit for the brand’s iconography. Blue and green tones connected the identity to water and the environment. For the cover illustration, we took an abstract approach, incorporating traditional Māori fabric patterns in a contemporary way. Because the final dimensions were not fixed, we could adjust the scale and perspective to create a more dynamic composition.