Opinion BY Armin

Architectural Identity for Applied Sciences University

Starting with the 2009/2010 school year, the Northern Hogeschool Leeuwarden in The Netherlands — a 10,000-student, medium-sized university specializing in applied sciences — will be known as NHL University, and will soon be occupying a new, fancy and diagonally-inclined building designed by Dutch architect Herman Hertzberger. For the university’s new era, Amsterdam based koeweiden postma designed a new identity inspired by the building.

New campus designed by Herman Hertzberger.

Luckily, the new identity doesn’t just show a reduced, black and white version of the building, but instead it takes its cues from the building’s lines and structure, all fairly evident in the sturdy and dynamic NHL acronym, which comes in two orientations. I wonder if five, seven or fifteen different perspectives of the acronym would have been more interesting, or just overkill? Maybe a little of both. The identity then expands in its applications by offering a wide range of colors as well as a very interesting family of typefaces that I would have probably never put together myself but look fairly convincing once applied. And to add a little visual excitement, there is a grid from which semi-random shapes can be constructed and used as holding forms or just background patterns. The overall effect is a nice combination of serious and playful, helping NHL University feel like a twenty-first century institution.

Identity elements: a family of colors, typefaces and angled shapes (based on the diagonal lines of the building).

DATE: Nov.09.2009CATEGORY: Education 41 COMMENTS

obse.’s comment is:

Bodoni Egyptian! I've never heard of that.
Cool applications there.

On Nov.09.2009 at 07:25 AM

Gabriele’s comment is:

I think that the connection with the building architecture is a bit... insubstantial.

On Nov.09.2009 at 07:29 AM

Pamela’s comment is:

Um...is this a hockey school university?

just kidding.

The new logo is a step up from the previous, I'd say.
Nice to get rid of clashy red/blue. However, I'm not sure I truly like this logo. It's a little awkward. Maybe that angle thing is doing me in.

However, I love the print materials!! They're exciting! They shout at me in a good way.

...but do they really need all those headline typefaces?

On Nov.09.2009 at 07:58 AM

BWJ’s comment is:

I think that the connection with the building architecture is a bit... insubstantial.

How so?

Isn't this an identity for a learning institution? Doesn't most of the education take place inside the building? The school focuses on applied science, which relates quite a bit with engineering, making an identity inspired by the structural lines of the building even more appropriate.

On Nov.09.2009 at 08:32 AM

John McCollum’s comment is:

I'm liking the logo/s.

I also like the geometric shapes, at least in theory. In application, however, they seem like "filler" to me. Perhaps there are too many colors?

This is likely to become very tiring, especially after its 10,000th iteration. If they're not careful, their accumulated visual presence will look like a bag of confetti, not a well-organized and easily-understood system.

On Nov.09.2009 at 08:36 AM

Gabriele’s comment is:

BWJ the concept is ok, but the applications are weak, in my opinion.
With that kind of angles you can get every shape you want, so the link to the building is not so obvious, at least to me.

On Nov.09.2009 at 08:47 AM

Valt1’s comment is:

i like it, it sam this one : http://www.nta-angers.fr/IMG/siteon0.jpg

On Nov.09.2009 at 08:54 AM

Kerri Augenstein’s comment is:

I dig this update. It speaks to the architectural elements without screaming "I'm a building"—it's subtle and certainly typographic. I also enjoy the play on varying marks, one leaning down and up right, the other leaning up and down right. I do enjoy the applications as well, especially when the shapes are filled with translucent color. Makes for a "surprise" with layering and adds depth. All in all, it's edgy, appealing to younger folks, but clear, easy to understand and follow.

On Nov.09.2009 at 09:08 AM

Nicholas’s comment is:

Has some of the same feeling of Abbot Miller's work for MICA (see this old holding shape from their previous website), Stefan Sagmeister's logo for Casa de Musica, as well as the initial Sochi 2014 Olympic materials.

However, I think this is entirely appropriate for the institution. Just a litle nitpick- lose the script face. The monospace font makes sense for an architecture school. The Egyptian is pushing it.

On Nov.09.2009 at 09:26 AM

James T’s comment is:

Just a sidenote: I know that football dominates the Netherlands, but Winter Olympic hockey does pretty well there which leads me to believe that people know of the NHL, especially when one considers that the first thing that pops up in Google when one searches NHL isn't the school.

On Nov.09.2009 at 09:37 AM

Cameron Jantzen’s comment is:

There's nothing wrong with it, but it doesn't feel great to me. I'm not sure it will age well. The book with the purple and yellow cover/spread already feel a bit dated. The covers/overlap on the other covers and photos on the stationery look nice. But then the logo on the stationery isn't contrasting enough with the imagery. It's kind of too much of the thing. Maybe that's why they ended up with all the typefaces? I dunno.

On Nov.09.2009 at 09:40 AM

David NN’s comment is:

I am surprised that they decided to use the NHL abbreviation, from a marketing point of view. There must have been an interesting internal discussion about the confusion it could create, since NHL is probably just as well known in Europe as in the USA.

The rendering of 'NHL' does bring architecture to mind.

On Nov.09.2009 at 09:55 AM

FJ de Kermadec’s comment is:

While the logo itself certainly isn't the kind that makes you run nude down the streets in excitement, it seems dynamic and legible enough. It looks unbalanced and unsettling at first sight, but it is precisely what makes it memorable, and the design of the H creates a nice tension that re-equilibrates the whole upon closer inspection.

I especially like the systematisation of the identity, and the many bridges they built between the architecture and the designs. As John says, it has a bit of a "confetti potential" but I am confident the guidelines will keep it in check all the while keeping their visual appearance playful enough.

On Nov.09.2009 at 09:59 AM

Gabriele’s comment is:

Hi David, I'm Italian and here just a few people knows the NHL brand. Hockey is not so popular here, and the only people who knows it are those who play sports videogame. But I don't know the situation in northern Europe.

On Nov.09.2009 at 10:04 AM

Neil’s comment is:

I think the logo is a nice move and well executed but I was very surprised to find the vote results for the applications showing 'Great' to be ahead. For me they look a little basic and to some extent already dated. Even though there is a grid structure behind every shape they just seem to be too random and on the literature spreads they look forced and a little shoehorned in.

It's a shame because I really like the mark but the applications don't match up.

As for the NHL connections I believe Ice Hockey (as it is known in England) is a big sport in Scandinavia and parts of Eastern Europe but the majority of Europe wouldn't see any connection, indeed Holland have always favoured Field Hockey (or simply Hockey) and are always a strong contender in the major international tournaments.

On Nov.09.2009 at 10:22 AM

Kári Emil Helgason’s comment is:

I'm Icelandic and I have never in my life heard of NHL as anything before.

On Nov.09.2009 at 10:29 AM

Birdseed’s comment is:

Europe's major Hockey countries are Sweden, Finland, Russia and the Czech Republic, with significant local presence in Germany, Switzerland, many of the former Soviet republics and Slovakia. Add to that the US and Canada and you've got a fairly substantial amount of people who're going to titter at your institution's name.

On Nov.09.2009 at 10:55 AM

niko’s comment is:

Very confusing as far as naming goes. It sounds like a hockey university. I believe the NHL(hockey League) owns the global trademark to the name, it wouldn't surprise me if they forced this school to change it.

On Nov.09.2009 at 10:59 AM

Andrea’s comment is:

Does anyone know what the previous mark was supposed to be? Curious.

On Nov.09.2009 at 11:09 AM

David NN’s comment is:

@Gabriele and others, right - my bad assuming that hockey is as popular in other parts of Europe as here in Scandinavia.

But assuming one goal of the new brand is to reach an international audience I am still quite intrigued by the route taken.

Another issue I feel compelled to point out, hogeschool - college (noun 1. university). Meaning NHL university translates into a 'university university'.

Intrigued was the word :)

On Nov.09.2009 at 11:20 AM

Alessandro Mingione’s comment is:

I'm Italian and I know NHL because there are videogames of it...
And, oh wow! Auto 2!

On Nov.09.2009 at 11:24 AM

kuratowa’s comment is:

Andrea,

It looks to be a very stylized map of the Netherlands.

On Nov.09.2009 at 11:25 AM

Remy Overkempe’s comment is:

@Andrea: It's the top half (northern provinces) of the Netherlands.

On Nov.09.2009 at 11:29 AM

Erwin’s comment is:

Being from Holland I'm sure I can clear some things up here.

On the name:
I'm pretty sure the majority of the Dutch population has never heard of your hockey league, and therefor will have no problem with the name. Indeed, regular hockey is very popular over here but it seldomly involves ice. Which is strange because iceskating is very popular in Holland. It get's even better: if you'd ask a Dutchy to connect ice-skating to a city in Holland, he'd say "Leeuwarden" 9 times out of 10 I'm sure! Still, the NHL is not very well known over here. On the other hand, the people that ARE familiar with American sports will probably fall in the same age category as those who attend this school!
(I for example am a 20some year old die-hard NBA fan)

On the old logo:
The white stripy shape in the logo is the shape of the northern half of the Netherlands, where Leeuwarden is located. The red triangle however makes no sense to me...

On the new logo:
I like the logo, but I don't like the applications. Too messy, and not all that original after f.e. the Casa De Musica identity or the other examples mentioned above.

To the people of Leeuwarden, I salute you! Fryslan Boppe!

On Nov.09.2009 at 11:43 AM

Derek Dietrich-Muller’s comment is:

Being an American who watches hockey occasionally, it struck me as odd for about two seconds that the name is abrreviated as NHL, and then I able to move past it. I think that too often we let these associations bother us. The context of these two institutions are separate enough that people who will use it in their daily lives won't be confused or bothered by it.

Maybe it's a little funny that this would make sense as an update to the National Hockey League itself; seeing as the the jagged cuts on the type and angle of the logo could also represent ice and speed.

That being said, I really like the logo for being flat while speaking to volume and perspective. The application, with photographic imagery cut at angles, is where this identity systems starts feeling flat to me. I'd much prefer the envelope to just have the angled window without the image below it. It distracts from the uniqueness.

On Nov.09.2009 at 11:50 AM

The Law Office of Levinson Axelrod’s comment is:

Well executed, but I'm not sure that I like the switch.

On Nov.09.2009 at 12:07 PM

Bobby’s comment is:

Not an improvement--feels somewhat corporate.

On Nov.09.2009 at 02:02 PM

David H’s comment is:

The design both works and fails. It reminds me of old schoolbooks from my youth, which could mean the design works well. Unfortunately, the books I was using already featured dated design back when I went through them, so the work above feels old to me.

I've seen the color and shape treatment done before. Claiming it's done to match the pattern of the building feels like marketing speak to me.

On Nov.09.2009 at 03:20 PM

Alex P.’s comment is:

National Hockey League

On Nov.09.2009 at 06:17 PM

locallad’s comment is:

I'm sorry to have to remind our American readers - most of the 6+ billion people who live outside the good old US of A has never heard of the National Hockey League.
You really need to get over your self-centric attitudes and views.

On Nov.09.2009 at 07:32 PM

Average American’s comment is:

You mean there are people outside US of A??

On Nov.10.2009 at 03:14 AM

ScottyM’s comment is:

Considering that the National Hockey League is made up of a majority of foreign-born players, including hundreds of Eastern Europeans, Fins, and so forth ... I think it's a valid criticism.

Acronyms in this day and age? Especially, one that's already widely known?

The design is immaterial at this point, because the solution here is a mistake.

On Nov.10.2009 at 07:44 AM

niko’s comment is:

You're just showing your ignorance concerning a global brand like the National Hockey League. Who is being self-centric? Hockey and the NHL have a global following of between half a billion to a billion people mostly in N.America, Northern Europe and Russia and the former soviet Republics.

On Nov.10.2009 at 10:30 AM

Levinson and Axelrod’s comment is:

I'm not going to get into a cultures awareness of the National Hockey League versus the University of Applied Sciences but it's very rare I get the University of Texas and the University of Tennessee confused in context and those are both Universities with the same initials in the same basic region. I think most will be fine when going through the Netherlands and seeing NHL with students next to it, and when they might see an ad on satellite TV (I'm willing to bet local cable providers are playing Wings V Rangers) and see NHL advertised with hockey pucks.

On Nov.10.2009 at 11:10 AM

Dennis Van Staalduinen’s comment is:

Sorry as a Canadian (and a Dutch-Canadian at that), I do see NHL = Hockey.

But as a branding guy, I have to say: WTH? Another TLA?!?

A three-letter abbreviation is just a silly silly choice - one that I try to steer all my clients away from - and would even tell the National Hockey League the same if they asked: do the world a favour and find a name with real character.

Which brings me to this: what is all this about ice hockey being American?!?!? The "National" in the "National Hockey League" refers to the country all four founding teams were from (including my Ottawa Senators): Canada. We let you Yankees in a few years later, but the Stanley Cup is Canadian, the league's history is Canadian, and the majority of top players have always been Canadian.

On Nov.10.2009 at 02:26 PM

Bill’s comment is:

locallad: "I'm sorry to have to remind our American readers - most of the 6+ billion people who live outside the good old US of A has never heard of the National Hockey League.
You really need to get over your self-centric attitudes and views."

I'm European (Swedish) and I don't know anybody who doesn't know what the NHL (nat hockey league) is. Maybe my grandmother. (This is not an exaggeration).
Sure, hockey is big in Sweden, but I'd be very surprised if less than 50% of ppl in other EU countries knew about the NHL.

On Nov.10.2009 at 03:01 PM

Mark’s comment is:

I like it it's clever and unique.

Well done!

On Nov.10.2009 at 07:37 PM

Rhomas’s comment is:

We did an interview with Koeweiden Postma over at Dutch online design magazine Fontanel a couple of weeks ago:

Original (in Dutch):
http://www.fontanel.nl/specials/rebrand-nhl

Google translate:
http://translate.google.com/translate?prev=hp&hl=en&js=y&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fontanel.nl%2Fspecials%2Frebrand-nhl&sl=nl&tl=en&history_state0=

On Nov.11.2009 at 05:08 AM

Glenn Sakamoto’s comment is:

Very nice!

On Nov.12.2009 at 09:10 AM

João Gomes’s comment is:

Nice one. And both the grid and the typographic choices are bold (pun unintended ^^ ), but the designers being Dutch and judging by the quality of the applications, all is nice and well. Still... it reminds me TOO much of the Casa da Música logo:

http://www.underconsideration.com/brandnew/archives/the_17_sides_of_a_cultural_ide.php
http://www.casadamusica.com/

On Nov.23.2009 at 11:07 AM

r4i kaart’s comment is:

Hi Guy's,
This is likely to become very tiring, especially after its 10,000th iteration. If they're not careful, their accumulated visual presence will look like a bag of confetti, not a well-organized and easily-understood system.

On Jan.02.2010 at 04:01 AM