The summer of 2020 was unlike any other. A viral pandemic kept friends from gathering and indoor pubic places. But a quiet, local beach provided a safe outdoor alternative for friends.
Big tourist beaches were overrun with both people and politics, but local beaches like Sturgis Street Beach were the perfect place to chill out and stay socially-distant. I was part of a group that gathered weekly at Sturgis Street Beach to enjoy summer life safely “right of the pipe”. To commemorate our getaway spot, I gave it the big beach treatment with an identity all its own.
Call out and celebrate the weird.
What makes Sturgis Street Beach so unique is a glaring stormwater pipe. Any visitor is practically on top of the pipe the moment they set foot on the sand from the wooden walkway. Most people would consider this an eyesore and try to downplay the man-made intrusion on an otherwise nice slice of nature.
But in the Sturgis Street identity, the pipe became the primary inspiration. The pipe opening and color gave way to celebrate the beautiful sunsets the beach has to offer to those willing to overlook the pipe. So while many beaches lean on a sunset cliché, Sturgis Street Beach uses it with a wink to it’s weird landscape.
