Póvoa de Varzim | Diogo Costa

The City of Literature

DISCIPLINE

Brand Identity

YEAR

2019

TEAM

Netgócio

Póvoa de Varzim is a city on the north coast of Portugal. With hundreds of years of history, it’s mostly known for its profound connection and appreciation for the sea.

In 2019, Póvoa de Varzim applied for the UNESCO Creative Cities network, in the field of Literature. They approached us with the challenge of creating something genuine, that respected the city’s values and rich history.

Our team developed the entire project, from the branding, official bid book, as well as the promotional website. I was responsible for the first two.

SOLUTION

My goal was to create something minimal, classic, that could be easily represented and identified by everyone. At the same time the brand had to be versatile, as it would be presented to several target audiences: from children to adults.

Concept

Póvoa de Varzim is based on its literary wealth, since it was the birthplace of illustrious Portuguese writers. Also, the city has a profound connection and appreciation for the sea, since it has always been (and continues to be) a city of fishermen.

The concept that supported the graphic identity emerged from the combination of these elements: the visual representation of the city’s Literature history and the connection to the raging sea.

Introduction to the raging sea, a unique feature of Póvoa

Based on simple and modern lines, the final result expresses the city’s personality in a classic and timeless way.

Bidbook

The bidbook is the official document submitted by the applicant city.

It explains why the candidate should receive the title, based on its origins, cultural legacy, and what the city is currently doing to promote this taste for literature throughout the population.

Póvoa de Varzim asked us to develop something classic, with a simple and direct layout. The images used were provided by the city council, where it is possible to see this spectrum of the old with the new.