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The Croatian city of Rijeka finally got a new and impressive library building to replace the three dislocated library departments it had before. It was high time and the right moment for a new visual identity.
The new building marked the start of a new era in which the library literally creates space for fresh and different content – so it’s only fair that its logo does the same. After the middle letter k, which stands for “knjižnica“ (the Croatian word for library), we introduced a symbol that allows for additional content – the common asterisk but in an unexpected place.
Thus, with Rijeka City Library redefining the library, the footnote in its name allows the library to take on some new role or communicate any type of content – project, program, festival, event, etc., and it can be in various formats: photo, illustration, logo, copy, etc.
The visual identity really felt at home when transferred into signage and wayfinding system. In the surroundings of colorful books and diverse materials, black and/or white signs were an obvious choice, and the asterisk became an important and recognizable element in wayfinding.
Although a lot of money was invested in the building itself, not much was allocated for the signage (and nothing for the branding). Working on a tight budget, we used die-cut vinyl stickers for all interior signage.
