SAC (Self-access Center) is a service where students and university staff members can study the language of their choice for free. SAC is located in the University of Tampere and belongs to the Language Center. The core values consist of cultural exchange, communication and education. The Self-access Center provides the variety of materials for self-studying languages, organizes social events for finding language tandem partners.
Mood boards
Based on my research on the values and objectives of the center, I defined key terms and concepts. Then I started with the creation of mood boards to find shapes, patterns and colors.
Bird
Birds are creatures which fly around, tweet and travel on big distances. The same as the customers of the Self-access Center: some of them are exchange or international students who are interested in learning local language; and local students who are eager to study foreign languages to go abroad for studies or internships.
travel on big distances, tweet, interact, fly around, explore, bright, colorful, energetic, active, speaking languages is like spreading wings, diversity, learn through communication, easy, nomadism
Education
learning, widen the horizon, enlightenment, stairs to success, self-development, pencils, stickers, notes, hopes, perceiving goals, association, memory, discovery, bright future, achievements, high grades, books, structure, glasses
Cultural exchange
exploration, excitement, multi-, mix, cultural shock, new ideas, friendship, experience, foreign, strange, destination, interaction, diversity, tolerance, bright colors, blue sky, orange-yellow sun, smiles, hot air balloons, plans, handshakes, hugs, new connections, Erasmus
Communication
dialogue, conversation, messaging, people, technology, media, digital, ideation, cooperation, social circle, social environment, mentality, understanding, exchange, networking, connections, blue, bright, sparkling, smiles, friendship, talk
Sketches
This is a very explorative and open process. The main point is to throw on the paper as many ideas as possible without evaluating them.
Then I continue to experiment with the shapes using software until the most suitable solution is found.
Searching for the font
The choice of the font was based on the following principles:
- transmit casual, open and friendly atmosphere of Self-access Center (non serif font family);
- font should look good while the full name of the Center is displayed.
The final choice is font Noto Sans.
At this stage it was decided to shorten the name "UTA Language Self-access Center" to "Self-access Center" and include the name of it in the local language (in Finnish "Kielten Oppimiskeskus").
Finalizing the logo
I used 'Golden Ratio' to polish the logo. 'Golden Ratio' is based on the Fibonacci's sequence in which each of the rectangles are proportionally related. I used circles and shapes which sizes were defined by this principle.
Proportion and spacing
Primary colors
Thank you!
