Carnegie Mellon University’s Institute for Contemporary Art Pittsburgh approached us to rebrand the institution. Coinciding with the construction of a new, more public-facing home, we sought to balance ICA’s legacy of innovative, experimental exhibitions with this more accessible presence.

The resulting monogram is bold yet warm, and can be applied in a broad palette that includes four CMU brand colors and eight new hues, creating a visual link to the university while giving ICA its own feel. Different color combinations evoke distinct tones, from friendly, to technical, to experimental.

A monospaced serif logotype balances the monogram’s rounded form while reflecting ICA’s emphasis on cross-disciplinary inquiry. This spirit is echoed in its new home in CMU’s Richard King Mellon Hall of Sciences, which will also house the Mellon College of Science and School of Computer Science.

The identity also includes a monoline sans serif and system of shapes echoing the monogram’s curved letterforms. Consistent type sizing and a restrained graphic vocabulary create a cohesive, authoritative visual voice, yet remains welcoming.

Across the brand, the monogram modulates up and down in scale. Remaining legible at small sizes, it serves as a dramatic, space-defining anchor at larger ones.

Beyond the identity system, our work to date includes relaunching the ICA website, as well as social templates and merchandise. The project is ongoing through the construction and opening of ICA’s new home, scheduled for Fall 2027.