eclectic grille – deutsche akademie rom, villa massimo, visual identity, rome 2016

the villa massimo logo is a strange mixture: the shape of the red-brown surface calls to mind the front end of a 1930s racing car, while the typeface suggests a 1950s hotel façade. but in fact this unusual blend is a thoroughly appropriate manifestation of villa massimo’s eclectic style, with its miscellaneous assortment of stone lions, busts and vases.

in (typo)graphical terms the redesign is a contemporary, technical renovation: the chap font by florian schick and lauri toikka was produced in the same year as the redesign, with the radiator-grille shape now based on a replicable geometric construction. to create a balanced visual effect the two initials were made (almost) the same size, too – the V is just a tiny bit smaller. one hundred years after its construction the villa’s architectural style can today be described as “original” even though it cheerfully pillaged various architectural idioms at the time. we hope the brand logo is just as successful. all we have to do is sit back and wait a century or so to find out.

deutsche akademie rom
villa massimo
visual identity
rome 2016

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