The Whale is a new knowledge and experience centre in Andenes, Northern Norway, opening in June 2027. Located in one of the world’s best areas for year-round whale encounters, the project brings together science, art, storytelling, sound, and architecture to explore whales and the oceans they inhabit. The building is designed by Dorte Mandrup.

Christian Schnitler was assigned to develop a visual identity capable of expressing The Whale’s core ambition: to become the world’s most meaningful encounter between humans and whales.

The Visual Identity is built around a single, unifying concept — The Encounter. Inspired by the moment a whale breaks the surface, the identity captures the threshold where sea meets air and the unseen becomes visible. This moment forms the foundation of the entire system.

Renderings of building: © The Whale, Dorte Mandrup/MIR