My approach to this project began with cultural and experiential research. Having attended the Chicago House Music Festival in previous years—and spending time in the city’s underground house scene—I drew inspiration directly from the environments where the genre still lives: late-night clubs, community-driven dance floors, and the rhythmic, gritty energy woven through the city. Understanding how Chicagoans experience house music firsthand helped anchor the visual direction in authenticity rather than aesthetics alone. Translating that inspiration into design began in Figma, where I experimented with typography that could carry both freedom and structure. I explored typefaces that felt rhythmic, expressive, and dynamic, while still maintaining clarity and legibility across large-scale posters and digital placements. From there, I built out layout systems rooted in movement, repetition, and the feeling of sound pulsing through space. To bring the visuals into a real-world context, I moved into Photoshop, creating a series of poster and advertisement mockups. Placing the designs in subway platforms, along downtown high-rises, and within the textured grit of Chicago’s streets helped establish a cohesive tone and atmosphere—one that truly reflects the energy festival-goers feel as they move through the city. These mockups grounded the campaign in place, giving the identity a lived-in, urban immediacy that connects directly to the heartbeat of Chicago’s house music culture.