Irkutsk Tram Visual Identity Concept
This project presents a new visual identity concept for Irkutsk public transportation, including a logo system and a dynamic pattern inspired by the city’s movement, geography, and tram infrastructure.
The project was initiated independently and later proposed as a conceptual direction to the local transport authority.
Irkutsk’s public transport system has long relied on a visually outdated identity, rooted in Soviet-era or early-1990s aesthetics. While functional, the existing logo and visual language no longer reflected a forward-looking or cared-for system. It is not even used on the trams, the city coat of arms is placed instead.
This perception was reinforced by:
- An obsolete visual identity
- A lack of a unified design system
- An outdated route map that was difficult to read, especially for visitors
At the same time, the city introduced new modern tram vehicles, signaling a step toward renewal. This contrast between new infrastructure and old visuals highlighted a clear opportunity: to visually communicate modernization, hope, and progress through design.
The primary goal was not decoration, but confidence-building — to visually suggest that Irkutsk’s public transportation is moving forward.
Key objectives:
- Establish a modern, simplified civic identity
- Create a system that is scalable across maps, vehicles, posters, and digital media
- Maintain high legibility at small sizes
- Use a restricted, disciplined visual language
- Avoid folklore clichés while still referencing local character
Constraints were self-imposed to ensure clarity:
- Monoline geometry
- Limited color palette
- Strong reproduction consistency
- Compatibility with existing transit graphics
The logo is built from five parallel lines, representing Irkutsk’s tram system — notable for multiple routes sharing the same rail infrastructure: the two left lines curve downward; the center line remains straight; the two right lines curve upward
Together, they express: direction and movement, route flexibility, connectivity across the city.
The opposing curves symbolically reference travel toward east and west, while the vertical center line suggests north–south continuity — an abstract but intentional spatial metaphor.
When observed carefully, the structure forms the Cyrillic letter “И”, the first letter of Irkutsk (Иркутск).
This embeds the city’s identity directly into the logo without relying on literal symbols.
- Fixed stroke width throughout
- White spacing between strokes calculated as
stroke width ÷ 1.618 (golden ratio)
- Balanced proportions ensure visual stability and scalability
This geometric discipline makes the mark especially suitable for transport systems, where clarity, repetition, and consistency are critical.
The pattern is generated by repeating and rotating the logo form, arranged at 45-degree angles and seamlessly connected. This creates an abstract, continuous flow.
The flowing structure is inspired by the Angara River, the city’s defining natural element, and reflects:
- Movement
- Flow
- Network behavior
- The rhythm of the city
