Denver Olympics

Scope

Experimental Design, Brand Systems, Code & Design, Typography

Overview

The Denver Olympics project is an experimental branding project where I created a fictitious identity for the Denver 2038 Winter Olympic Games. Through this project, I learned to build a cohesive brand identity that not only visually communicates the event, but is also translatable for a global audience.

Why Denver?

I chose Denver as my host city because it is one of the only cities to turn down an Olympic bid, back in 1976. The city ultimately rejected the Games due to environmental concerns. Because of this history, I wanted the brand identity to focus on environmental consciousness, giving the Games an organic, forward-thinking, and contemporary feel that best represents both the city of Denver and the future of our planet.

Logo

For the logo, I wanted something that wasn’t just static, but transformative. I chose a snowflake icon to symbolize the Winter Olympics and created a generative version using JavaScript (p5.js). I wanted this logo to show growth and adaptability in line with the environmental consciousness of the Denver 2038 Games, while also using the snowflake to represent a process of crystallization.

Typeface

While I didn’t use this as the primary typeface for the project, I wanted to include it to show how far I could push the adaptability of the brand identity system. I ended up creating an experimental typeface that I used for the dates and times on the tickets and wristbands, more as a visual design element than to actually communicate information, given its low readability and the crucial need for legibility at a global event like the Olympics. Regardless, I really enjoyed constructing this typeface out of the same modules used in my logo design, and I believe it truly shows how transformational and limitless this brand identity could be.

Tech Stack

Conclusion

In conclusion, this project presented multiple challenges, from building a brand system for an event on the scale of the Olympics to ensuring the identity resonates globally while staying true to my original concept of environmental consciousness, growth, and Denver as the host city. While this remains a purely conceptual exercise rather than a real-world Olympic identity, I had an incredible time experimenting with these design boundaries and ultimately see the project as a success.