La Roca

Context
La Roca is an established bouldering gym in the south-east of Melbourne. In July 2023 they reached their fifth anniversary and expanded into a neighbouring warehouse, The Annex. This made them one of only two climbing gyms in Australia offering 24-hour access for members, with access available in the Annex.

Their existing branding was created by Studio Arete. For the 2023 rebrand, I was asked to keep the existing letter mark and remove “Boulders” from the name.

Challenge
The rebrand needed to feel like a natural next step, not a reset. The community already had a strong relationship with the existing identity, so the update had to respect what was familiar while still giving La Roca a cleaner, more flexible system.

A key requirement was a new brandmark that could stand on its own across limited-edition merchandise, social media and signage. It also needed to support a smooth transition from the old logo to the new one.

Solution
I refined the identity by retaining the original letter mark and simplifying the name to La Roca. From there, I developed a new logo mark designed to work independently in small and large applications, especially on merch and digital assets.

The new logo mark has a hidden “L” and “R”. The two core segments represent the main climbing gym and the 24-hour space next door, The Annex. This gave the mark a simple story tied directly to the way the gym was evolving, without needing to explain it loudly.

The updated system was built to sit comfortably alongside the existing identity during rollout, so the change felt cohesive and community-led rather than abrupt. The result was a clearer, more versatile brand presence that acknowledged La Roca’s growth while keeping the spirit of the gym intact.

Later developments

As the brand rolled out, we extended the identity into custom silhouette T-shirts. Made from 100% organic cotton, the fit and fabric were designed to feel good for climbing while still working as an everyday staple. The response has been strong. Members regularly mention these as their go-to shirts, with many saying they have replaced other tees in their wardrobe.