As per usual when a new Olympics logo is revealed, the public turns up its collective nose. But the Utah 2034 design, created by Molly Mazzolini of Elevate Creative in Salt Lake City, is only the first glimpse of what promises to be an identity with real depth and potential.
This initial design has the same sense of place that Lance Wyman’s design for the Mexico 1968 Games had: inspired by Mexican folk art, it is still regarded as one of the most on-point Olympic systems ever created. Same with Wolff Olins’ much-discussed London 2012 games identity. Shocking at first glance, that graffiti-like system proved to beautifully communicate the spirit of the Games as well as urban London.
The design of the Utah letterforms was inspired by the state’s remarkable landscapes—its rock formations, canyons, and waterways. The grid behind the monospaced letterforms mimics the grids that Morman pioneers used when they laid out Utah cities in the late 1800s. Working together, the grid and the letterforms speak strongly of strong and stable organization overlaid with the excitement, energy, and unpredictability of sport.
The complete identity system will be rolled out in 2029.
