By: Print | May 14, 2020
The United States Olympic & Paralympic Museum is poised to open later this year—and yesterday the organization revealed the identity that will grace its new hub at the foot of the Rocky Mountains.
Created by Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv, the mark draws inspiration from three key elements: the colors of the Olympic rings and Paralympic logo; the stripes of the American flag; and the diamond silhouette of the building facade (more on that in a moment). Blending these elements, the firm sought to evoke an abstract flame, a nod to the omnipresent torch of the games. The new mark will serve alongside the museum’s existing logo, which combines the signature identities of the Olympics and Paralympics.
“The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum’s logo represents a blend of old and new,” the museum’s CEO, Chris Liedel, writes. “The Museum merges the tradition of the Olympic and Paralympic Games with modern state-of-the-art technology to tell the history of the movements and Team USA athletes in a compelling way, and this logo is reflective of that balance.”
As for the museum itself, Diller, Scofidio + Renfro broke ground in Colorado Springs—the location of the U.S. Olympic Training Center—in 2017. As the studio details, the 60,000-square-foot museum is inspired by the movements of Olympians in competition. The facade of the building also contains 10,000 unique diamond-shaped panels, to which the logo pays tribute.
Graceful, indeed.
Image: Diller, Scofidio + Renfro
