Laurier Centre for the Study of Canada
The four collectives that make LCSC are distinctive enough to warrant their own sub-branding. While the centre needs to use the primary branding for all external initiatives (especially in the early days of brand recognition) when sponsoring events within the university, the different collectives can brand their specific initiatives to clearly identify the origin of the event.
The Laurier Centre for the Study of Canada consists of several research collectives drawn from faculties across Wilfrid Laurier University. When the collectives came together to form one department, they all had their own history and focus that needed to be reflected in the new logo.
I wanted the logo to be balanced in such a way that it was clear that no one collective held priority over the others. The bunchberry is found across Canada and was unofficially voted Canada’s national flower in 2017 and had the perfect symmetry for this project.
The four bunchberry petals and box represent the four founding collectives and the LCSC’s structural framework. The box provides stability for the collectives which balance each other and grow beyond the original bounds of the organization.
At the centre of the icon is a symbol that is synonymous with Canada—the red maple leaf. It is askew and has a slightly organic shape, reflecting the leaf as found in nature.These elements demonstrate how the multifaceted study of Canada comes together to form a larger whole.
