University of Washington Logo: A Visual History and Brand Identity
The University of Washington (UW), a prestigious public research university in Seattle, boasts a rich history reflected in its evolving logo. From its humble beginnings as the Territorial University of Washington in 1861 to its current status as a leading global institution, the university's visual identity has undergone several transformations. The University of Washington logo reflects the prestige, tradition, and academic excellence that has made the university one of the best in the world. It reminds us of its long-standing history and achievements in science, education, and society. The emblem connects the past and the present, inspiring students to pursue new accomplishments. The university has become a center of knowledge and innovation, attracting talent from all over the world, and its symbol serves as a mark of pride and a commitment to high aspirations.
Early Logos and Evolution (1919-1958)
The initial logo of the Washington Huskies, the university's athletic program, bore little resemblance to the team's name. From 1919 to 1932, it featured a man, seemingly ageless, in a fancy outfit with an umbrella on the floor behind him. The color palette was purple and white, with purple contours and a white body.
In 1932, the first husky dog image appeared on the team's emblem. It was a detailed, realistic portrait of the dog looking slightly to the right, rendered in a blue and white color palette. A redesign in 1936 presented a badge based on the previous version, with the husky drawn in plain black lines against a white background. This design was short-lived, used for only one year.
The ambler was replaced in 1953 by a bold letter "W" in a custom typeface with massive square serifs. The letter was executed in a tender purple shade and placed on a white background, creating a strong contrast and evoking a sense of creativity and progressiveness.
The Husky and the "W" (1959-Present)
In 1959, the visual identity was redrawn, bringing back the husky image, now wearing a jersey with the letter "W". The solid purple jersey was balanced by a white and purple furry smiling face of the husky.
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The logo used in 1971 was similar to the 1932 version, but the husky looked to the left. The color palette remained purple and white.
The capital geometric "W" returned in 1974, styled in yellow with a double white and purple outline. This version had thinner and longer bars.
In 1979, the husky head was redrawn in a more modern and bright way. The bold image, executed in purple and white, was placed on a yellow letter "W," outlined in white and purple. The "W" was written in a traditional serif typeface.
The 1983 badge was set in a simple blue and white color palette, with the enlarged "W" in a double white and blue background and "Huskies" written across it in a traditional sans-serif font, outlined in blue.
The color palette was slightly changed in 1995, keeping the purple and yellow combination for the "W," which got its serifs slightly elongated, and switching the colors of the dog to monochrome. The husky was turned more to the left.
Read also: History of the Block 'M'
After the sleek emblem designed in 2001, the team decided to go more minimalist in 2007. The badge featured a strict geometric letter "W" in a traditional serif typeface with clean lines. The "W" was executed in intense purple with a thin double outline containing yellow and white.
The redesign of 2016 worked with the color palette, changing the muted shade of purple for the "W" to an intense and bright hue. The light sand outline was redrawn in a shade closer to gold.
The Modern University of Washington Logo System
The University of Washington's current logo system is designed to effectively link the various campuses, schools, academic units, and administrative offices with the University of Washington brand. It is the University’s policy that the block W Logo, University wordmark and combined signature systems are the only sanctioned marks for use across the campuses to represent the University of Washington in marketing, communications and reputation building work. The system includes the Block W logo, the University wordmark, and combined signature systems.
Block W Logo
The Block W logo is a recognizable symbol of the University of Washington. In print, the minimum allowable width is .25". A clear area equivalent to the height of the serif on the Block W Logo must be preserved around the complete logo.
University Wordmark
The University wordmark is another important element of the logo system. Minimum size for the University wordmark is 1″ wide.
Read also: Legacy of Fordham University
Signature Logos
The UW Signature Logo System effectively links our campuses, schools, academic units, and administrative offices with the University of Washington brand. The Primary Field should be used to communicate a unit’s most important information to a specific audience. Primary Fields can include such information as: School or college name, department name, institute or program name, library, or office. The Tertiary Field is an optional field and can be used to communicate the unit, school, college or other affiliated department name.
Color Palette
Logos may not appear in any colors other than University color palette. Logos may not appear in any colors other than 100% of University color palette. The corporate palette is the main factor that unites the academic seal, the university-wide logo, and the athletic sign. Each features the original purple hue.
Proper Logo Usage
It is crucial to maintain the integrity of the University of Washington logo. Don’t stretch or compress the logo. Don’t change the logo colors. Use one of the color files provided.
The Boundless W
Our Boundless W is simply a graphic treatment of the University Block W logo. What makes it boundless? When it aligns to the bottom or either side of a frame edge it creates the appearance of bleeding off the page - giving it the feeling of not being contained. A clear area equivalent to the height of the serif on the Boundless W Logo must be preserved around the complete Logo. Our Boundless W can bleed off the bottom or one side. The Boundless band offers the W freedom while allowing flexibility for use in a smaller scale layout. When using the Boundless W at its minimum size (.25″), house it within the Boundless band. Preserve a clear area equivalent to the height of the Boundless W logo around the complete signature. Do not cover the band with type or other graphics. And remember the Block W logo can only be used in white, black, gray, gold and of course purple. Our Boundless band can align with either edge of a frame and may or may not bleed. It should not align with the bottom of a page in order to retain the integrity of the band shape. Do not use the Boundless band and the large Boundless W together on the same page. In general, you only need one logo per page. The bar, like the Boundless band, has an angle on the end that echos the 15-degree angle of the block W shape. To create the bar, use the x-width of a letter stem to create a base measurement. Use the x-width to measure the height of the bar. Our styled tagline has the feeling of forward movement - visually represented as angled letters. Because the typography has been manipulated, we offer several styled tagline lockups as downloadable files for your use. The Boundless tagline can stand alone or be used in partnership with a 15-degree angled line. A clear area equivalent to the B must be preserved around the complete tagline.
Alternate and Secondary Logos
For the Alternate logo version, the sleek and confident “W” in a geometric sans-serif is rewritten in a more minimalistic color palette, composed solely of dark purple. The golden outline is removed, so this badge can be placed on the T-shirts and posters with a light outline, without losing its recognizability and balance of the bars’ thickness and lengths.
The basic element of the Washington Huskies Secondary Logo is the husky paw print, drawn in one of the two program’s colors, purple. The largest part of the paw is decorated by a light gold letter “W”, written in the same style and typeface as the one from the primary logo, yet without any outlines or framing. The badge looks bright, strong, yet at the same time cute and playful.
Helmet Logo
The main color of the Washington Huskies helmets is sand gold, with the central part decorated by wide white and purple stripes. As for the laconic yet strong and distinctive “W” logo, it is drawn on the side of the helmet, with the body painted in purple and the outline - in white.
The University Seal
The university seal has a classic shape:
- A rondel
- A traditional circle with a well-defined center
- Several concentric rings of different widths
In the center is a pentagonal shield that resembles a massive arrowhead pointing down. On it are four tall columns and a dark purple star surrounded by thin grass stems. Both elements are separated by a horizontal stripe with the university’s motto. It bears the phrase “LUX SIT” written in Latin.
The sharp end of the shield comes in contact with the branches of a coniferous tree diverging in two directions. It is followed by a wide, light space with the name of the institution of higher learning and the year of its appearance. The text is in uppercase type with thin and short serifs. Between the words, you can see small triangles turned upward.
Font and Colors
The University of Washington uses two types of Open Sans typeface: Regular and Bold. The serif versions are preferred. Traditionally, the university’s brand identity used violet as the main shade. It’s used in both the seal and the logo. In the sigil, we can see the violet lines and inscriptions. The seal usually doesn’t have any background, but in cases if there is the background, its color is white.
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