26.11.2014 Werklig

Identity update for TYK.


ASSIGNMENT

Töölön yhteiskoulu (TYK) is Finland's oldest and one of the oldest adult upper secondary schools, providing education to both young and adults. TYK was founded in 1912 as a private school and has been operating since, still residing in Töölö district in central Helsinki. Due to the long history school's visual identity had seen many phases and thus needed harmonization of all key elements.

 

SOLUTION

It was clear that identity update needed to reflect TYK values and heritage. It became evident that there were two key elements that had been around – more or less in the same form – for decades: the TYK symbol/logo and orange colour. Both could be seen for example in old TYK flag, dating back to the 1960's. Because of this realization these two elements were conserved but naturally in an updated form.

 

Full set of logos were designed for various needs and a wider, more useful colour palette was generated. To spice things up a pattern was designed, using local architecture as inspiration. Most dominant figure of pattern (a floral item) is taken directly from TYK cast-iron staircase, for example. For this reason the pattern and colours have a true, strong sense of place.

 

Typefaces were also chosen from historical perspective. Nobel (originally from 1929, drawn by Sjoerd Henrik de Roos) is used as a primary typeface. For longer texts and highlights New Century Schoolbook (pun intended) is used. New Century Schoolbook (designed by Morris Benton and released between 1918 and 1921) shared the same functionalist angle and era as Nobel.