2026 Hustle Chicago® Stair Climb

Project Type – Print, Merchandise, Digital, Signage

Role – Graphic Designer, Copywriters: Alex Rodriguez & Sarah Meyer Hughes

Software – Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign

Skills – Brand Design, Typography

The theme for the 2026 Hustle Chicago stair climb was “Breathing New Life into Chicago”. A main draw for climbers is the iconic building itself. I decided this year to portray the building from a different viewpoint than we have in years past. This angle also emphasizes Lake Michigan and Lakeshore Drive, which are two view highlights from the top of the tower. I chose to add additional detail to the Hancock building and keep the background buildings in monochrome so that attention would be on the Hancock. The four stars are callbacks to the Hustle Chicago logo as well as the flag of Chicago. I chose to put the tagline in a banner that I imagined is being pulled by a plane like you often see on the beaches of Lake Michigan. The postcard design was the basis for the medal and the T-shirt. For the medal, we have the opportunity to use negative space, so I chose to cut the stars out since they are a unique shape and their symmetry allows for visual interest on the back as well. This year, I also got to create a CTA advertisement. This was placed on the top of cars on the green and brown train lines.

Postcard