The Kurt Weill Foundation

Rebranding the foundation dedicated to preserving the legacies of Kurt Weill and Lotte Lenya.

completed at studio simpatico

Branding
Web Design

Visual Identity
Client Management

I directed and designed the new visual identity for The Kurt Weill Foundation and led the extension of the new branding to an updated website and content management system.

Capturing the spirit of Kurt Weill through a logo redesign.

An artist’s signature comes at the end of a score. It signifies not just the completion of a composition, but the link between the work and its author. Kurt Weill is a concise name; combined with Weill’s unique writing traits, it translates well to a graphic element. Additionally, the revised logo retains the equity around the original logo.

The work on the logo began with a close examination of the typography Kurt Weill’s signature.

Top: Original logo for the Kurt Weill Foundation.
Below: Sample set of original Kurt Weill signatures.

‘K’ is almost always written in two strokes and follows the same general shape. The leg of the ‘K’ often connects to the ‘u’.

‘U’ and ‘r’ are written with a single stroke and follow the same wave pattern, with the ‘r’ displaying a sharper and straighter ear.

The peaks of the ‘W’ always follow a decline and the terminal features a subtle flourish. The radii of the valleys vary.

The lower-case ‘e’ features a tight loop at an exaggerated incline. The double ‘l’ is almost always a ligature and seldom looped.

A website as extensive as Kurt Weill’s body of work.

Given the breadth of Kurt Weill and Lotte Lenya’s works as well as the variety of information available from the foundation, the website features a wide range of rich, interactive media modules. Mega menus as well as secondary navigations are used to create a comprehensible experience throughout the site.