edenspiekermann_
City of Amsterdam

The City of Amsterdam wanted to clearly portray its identity. This was easier said than done. No other municipality in the Netherlands is as complex or fragmented as Amsterdam. More than 60 different house styles had to be consolidated into one strong, clear and unambiguous style which resonated with all those involved.

Together with the Thonik design bureau, Edenspiekermann was able to develop a new, cohesive Style of Amsterdam. The city districts and services within this unit remain visible. The three crosses, the original symbol of Amsterdam, form the basis of the deceptively simple solution.

Create a single recognisable family of organisations working together for the city of Amsterdam. The motto is: ‘What unites us is stronger than what divides us’. That was the clear, but difficult, mission presented to us by the city.

In order to create a common denominator, we first defined the core values: active, open and honest. The goal: ‘We want Amsterdam to remain dynamic Amsterdam’. On the basis of the core values and mission, we formulated a typical Amsterdam communication style: no mincing of words. Clear, frank, transparent and accessible ate therefore key words in the design process.

The solution is as inventive as it is simple, with the 3 red St Andrew’s crosses and the red of Amsterdam as attention-grabbers. The three crosses offer a great deal of scope for the addition of individual identifying hallmarks for city districts and services.

The house style was recorded digitally. The result is accessible to all on Stijlweb Amsterdam. The municipal services can further develop the house style themselves using the guidelines and examples for inspiration.

The City of Amsterdam once again has a distinct face of its own. Every resident of the city knows immediately when he is dealing with the City, no matter which district or service.

The Amsterdam style was awarded the Dutch House Style Award in 2003.