Established in 1863, the Polytechnic University of Milan (Politecnico di Milano, abbreviated as Polimi) is the oldest university in Italy providing engineering education. The institution is ranked as the 13th best in the world among polytechnic universities, hosting more than 40,000 students, approximately 20% of whom are international from over 100 countries.
As one of the leading universities in Europe, Polimi boasts a rich history, including its prominent professors and alumni, such as engineers Adriano Olivetti and Giovanni Battista Pirelli, architects Gio Ponti and Renzo Piano, and designers Ettore Sottsass and Massimo Vignelli.
Since last year, marking its 160th anniversary, the university has been led by Donatella Sciuto, its first female rector. In a strategic document commemorating the anniversary, she stated that the Polytechnic University needed to be recognized as a reliable, recognizable, and solid benchmark both in Italy and internationally.
Politecnico’s new strategy also envisions a renovation of its visual identity and communication means. Recently, the institution updated its digital presence, including the website polimi.it, as well as the campuses’ websites and its social media profiles. For the first time, all digital assets received a unified design and informational architecture.
The university’s innovations also include a detailed brand book, which provides a cohesive visual identity. It outlines the general design, primary and secondary colors, as well as typography dominated by Manrope by Gent, a modern sans-serif typeface.
“The power of a brand lies in its consistency and ability to clearly convey values at every touchpoint. That’s why it is important for everyone to understand the essence,” Polimi’s communications director Dr. Marcella Logli explains.
The logo of the university has also been revised, albeit to a lesser extent. The overhaul was carried out by the Milan-based studio Lundqvist. In fact, the icon represents a fragment of Raphael’s famous fresco “The School of Athens,” depicting Archimedes surrounded by his disciples. The illustrious Ancient Greek mathematician and physicist, along with the group of men projecting something on the ground, serve as a clear symbol of Polimi’s engineering character and inventive potential.
Redesigned in a slightly smaller size, the depiction features the same figures placed in a circle consisting of fewer strokes compared to the previous version, making it look simpler and easier to perceive. The wordmark has been moved to the right of the icon, forming a horizontal layout, while “Politecnico” and “Milano 1863” are now of equal length. Additionally, the emblem’s color has been changed from black to dark blue.
Despite the minor changes, Polimi’s logo retains its overall appearance. The fact that rebranding didn’t result in a much simpler design, while retaining the intricate depiction, is understandable, as universities are typically conservative about their identities and tradition is a key concept in this field. Nevertheless, the designers found a good balance in this case, managing to simplify the logo as much as possible without compromising the essence of the design. The only reasonable solution was to redraw the figures with thinner lines and to thin out the outer circle. Plus, the adjustments to typography certainly bring a fresh perspective as well.
