Branding a lively art zone in the center of Chengdu, China
Located in the center of Chengdu, right next to People’s Park, Citanggai is a beautiful urban area full of history which has recently been redeveloped into a vibrant art zone. The area is home to an art museum, multiple art galleries, shops, artist workspaces and residences. Citanggai is the inheritor of a great historical and cultural value, and strives to be the bridge that connects ancient and modern times.
Citanggai (祠堂街) uses the pronunciation in Chengdu dialect and means ‘Ancestral Hall Street’. According to research, Chengdu is not only one of the birthplaces of woodblock printing, but also became the printing and publishing center of China and the world in the Song Dynasty. Together with the neighboring streets, Ancestral Hall Street was the ‘bookstore of the world’ and bears witness to the history of Chengdu.
Citanggai Art Zone should reflect and tell the past, present and future of Ancestral Hall Street. It not only reaches and connects with mature audiences, but also brings great art to a younger Chinese audience. The goal is for Citanggai to become a living art center in the center of Chengdu, that is known both nationally and internationally and tells the story of this special area.
Woodblock printing is not only a medium for the transmission of knowledge and culture, but also has a timeless and understated oriental aesthetic. This made it a beautiful starting point for creating the visual identity. The character ‘Tang’ (堂), right in the center of the logo, forms the main storyline, pointing out the city center of Ancestral Hall Street. It is perfectly mirrored and reflects back to the typical visual language of ancient printing techniques and its use of positive and negative spaces. By inverting the color block, a contrasting and dynamic style is achieved. The color is matched with Tianfu Yellow, Pioneer Red and Poetic Blue, and the straightforward typesettings gives space to the visuals. TIN created an elaborate visual identity that is contemporary looking yet carries the strong and rich ancient story.
