Flag design
Mauao Summit Walk: A Flag Design for Tauranga’s Iconic Trail
The Mauao Summit Walk is one of Tauranga’s most iconic trails, rich in Māori heritage and breathtaking views. my goal was to design a street flag that promotes the hike and reflects the cultural significance of Mauao, meaning “caught by the morning light.”
Institute/
Open Polytechnic
Course/
Creative Digital Skills
Year /
2024
Understanding the landscape & cultural context
Before diving into design, I researched flag designs in New Zealand, exploring how cities like Christchurch, Dunedin, and Waipā use color, typography, and composition. I also studied the Tourism Bay of Plenty brand guidelines, ensuring my design aligned with their visual identity.
What I learned based on my research:
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Flags must be instantly recognizable: strong contrast and simple layouts improve visibility.
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Typography needs to be legible from a distance: choosing the right font and placement is key.
I wanted to capture Mauao’s essence, so I played with different viewpoints before choosing the sunrise over the summit, which relates to the Māori legend and the deep connection between the mountain and the light.
Experimenting with different approaches
I started with rough sketches, exploring different layouts and compositions. My early concepts included:
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Geometric shapes and colors representing the sea, the mountain, and the sky.
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Gradient layers to create movement and depth.
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Māori-inspired patterns to connect the design to local culture.
After experimenting with typography and color schemes, I moved to Adobe Illustrator, where I refined each concept and created multiple digital versions. I focused on:
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Vibrant color palettes inspired by Tauranga’s coastal environment.
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Large, high-contrast text to ensure easy readability.
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Geometric composition to represent the natural flow of the landscape.
Feedback & adjustments and the final design
I shared my design on iQualify and received useful feedback, leading to key refinements:
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Increasing text size to make the flag more legible from a distance.
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Reducing the emphasis on the sea so the mountain remains the focal point.
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Adjusting colors to be warmer and bolder, helps the flag stand out.
After refining the design, I landed on a final version that strikes the right balance between aesthetics, storytelling, and functionality.
The final flag features:
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A sunrise-inspired palette of orange, yellow, blue, and green.
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A strong, geometric mountain and sun shape
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Typography placed in the sky for maximum contrast and readability.
This design promotes the hiking trail, connects people to the legend of Mauao and celebrates the region's rich cultural and natural history.
Takeaway and next steps
This project taught me the importance of:
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Researching cultural and environmental context to design something truly meaningful.
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Iterating based on feedback, small adjustments can make a big impact.
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Balancing color, shape, and typography to create an aesthetic and functional design.
I’d love to refine this concept even further by testing variations with different Māori patterns to enhance the cultural connection.