Florian Brożek

“The Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma, a project of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, is dedicated to informed, innovative and ethical news reporting on violence, conflict and tragedy. Whether the topic is street crime, family violence, natural disaster, war or human rights, effective news reporting on traumatic events demands knowledge, skill and support. The Dart Center provides journalists around the world with the resources necessary to meet this challenge, drawing on a global, interdisciplinary network of news professionals, mental health experts, educators and researchers.”—DartCenter.org

The Dart Center required a new visual identity that was memorable, flexible, and above all respected the delicate balance between journalistic objectivity and ethical conduct—an essential challenge facing all journalists involved in the coverage of trauma. In acknowledgment of this fundamental tension, the topmost layer of the logo combines an eye, the signature of a witness, with lines of text—the translation of experience into a medium accessible to others. Beneath the top sheet are two more; the stack evokes a news publication, while the central sheet is associated by color with the words “Dart Center.” Its position in the middle corresponds to the Dart Center’s function as a bridge, or refuge, between a journalist and the accomplishment of their mission. Red evokes the dramatic, emotional, and vivid; the specific shade used is shifted in hue towards yellow, imparting it with an approachable warmth, in contrast to the aggression of pure red. For the Dart Society, formed for Dart Award winners, the color gold seemed more than appropriate, and also serves to distinguish its unique role from that of the Center. For the textual component of the logotype, the typeface Franklin Gothic was selected in deference to its established history as a favorite of newspaper headlines.

The Dart Center visual identity is designed to encompass four divisions of a single organization: Dart Center US (operating out of Columbia University, NYC), Dart Centre Europe (London, UK), Dart Centre Australasia (Elwood, Australia), and finally, the Dart Society (for winners of the Dart Awards). Each division is further represented by multiple iterations, providing the designer with a range of choices to fit a range of contexts.

The classic, or primary, version of each logotype is distinguished by the inclusion of a tagline, indicating the organization’s affiliation with Columbia University, or, in the case of Dart Society, a brief summary of its members vocation. The classic version is intended for use whenever the communication of the Center’s affiliation is essential, and has not been communicated elsewhere in the document or media in which the logotype appears.

Whenever spacial (or conceptual) concision is called for, the full logotype can be replaced with an abbreviated version, appearing without the additional tagline, and shifting all text following “Dart Center/re” to a new line. The result is a brief and impactful insignia, perfect for situations where a quick and graphic register is essential: for example, in the corner of a screen or photograph.

Each of these two primary versions is complete with an equivalent for use against dark backgrounds, as well as two monochromatic variants in three colors: black, white (not pictured), and Dart Red (or, in Dart Society’s case, Dart Gold). The monochromatic variants are identical in composition; the difference lies in the graphic treatment of the central sheet in the tripartite stack: the first—or default—variant indicates the sheet with a single line. The second variant fills out the sheet with diagonal strokes, creating a more complex and textured visual. Irreproducible at smaller sizes (where the default variant continues to function comfortably, down to .25″ tall), the second variant is best implemented in large formats, where pattern and texture can serve as a compositional counterpoint to the overall simplicity of the logo.

All of the abovementioned iterations are further complemented by centered equivalents, for use with centered layouts.

Upon completion, the visual identity was immediately put to the test by Rich Watts & Louise Ma in the redesign of the Dart Center website. I was lucky enough to watch them work, occasionally be consulted, and even contribute a few icons—including the obligatory favicon.