PROJECT: SANCTUM
Creative Strategy by Kindred Studio

PROJECT OVERVIEW
Sanctum is a regenerative basketball court and public art installation designed to reimagine outdoor play as a sacred, healing, and communal act. Conceived by Kindred Studio, Sanctum transforms underutilized land into a site of cultural significance, youth engagement, and ecological learning. It sits at the intersection of contemporary art, sport, wellness, and land stewardship.

OBJECTIVES

  • Rebrand Earth Court as Sanctum with a poetic, intentional identity.

  • Establish Sanctum as a scalable cultural model rooted in land-based healing and community play.

  • Position the work within the fine arts, design justice, and public health arenas.

  • Cultivate strategic partnerships across institutions, brands, and grassroots organizers.

  • Generate public awareness and press while maintaining community integrity.

CREATIVE PILLARS

Narrative & Storytelling

  • Reframing the court as sacred public space.

  • Movement as meditation; play as spiritual practice.

  • Land as teacher: explore the site’s ecological design.

  • Founder story: John Dennis' journey from design/music/fashion into spatial practice and collective healing.

Design & Experience

  • Visual identity: earthy color palettes, typography, and signage language.

  • On-site experience: sensory details and spatial rituals.

  • Programming: skill clinics, nature walks, artist talks, seasonal activations.

Community Engagement

  • Co-design with local stakeholders.

  • Intergenerational programming with youth and elders.

  • Platform for emerging artists, educators, and land stewards.

TARGET AUDIENCES

  • Art world: curators, museums, art educators, collectors.

  • Basketball/wellness: players, trainers, youth orgs, mental health professionals.

  • Civic and non-profit: city planners, educators, foundation leaders.

  • Design: sustainability advocates, regenerative architects, landscape designers.

STRATEGIC APPROACH

Digital Media

  • Instagram narrative series: "Why Land?", "Movement as Protest", "The Court as a Commons"

  • Founder video: JD interview + spatial walkthrough

  • Voiceover nature content with text overlays

  • Microsite and newsletter to anchor storytelling and updates

Partnerships

  • Brand alignment: Nike, Patagonia, Allbirds, New Balance

  • Institutional: Grace Farms, city parks, NXTHVN

  • Grassroots: youth orgs, Black farmers, community builders

Impact Metrics

  • Youth Participants

  • Acres of land activated/restored

  • Press coverage and digital reach

  • Community partners and feedback loops

STAKEHOLDER INCLUSION MODEL

  • Early-stage community listening sessions

  • Transparent feedback and co-design check-ins

  • Hiring local builders, artists, and healers

  • Share back: public reports, gatherings, and documentation

CREATIVE DIRECTION Sanctum communicates reverence for land and the dignity of play. Design language balances earth tones and strong lines, symbolic gestures and practical functionality. Visuals express both stillness and energy—ritual and resistance.

This project is a meditation on space as liberation, designed by Kindred Studio to create lasting, lived impact.