Luke Miller • Brand + Motion Designer
National Museum of Finland
Spec Branding Project - 2024
I spent the early summer of 2023 as an intern in Stockholm, Sweden, and had the opportunity to do some solo travel around Northern Europe. I was particularly fond of my experience in Helsinki, Finland. While there, I fell in love with the National Museum of Finland, or Suomen Kansallismuseo. This museum would be adding an additional wing to their building, so I decided it would be a great candidate for a class branding project.
Though I have some Scandinavian ancestry, it’s quite limited. I knew extensive research would be critical to crafting an authentic brand for this museum. I explored Finnish culture through a a variety of avenues, but these are some highlights from my discovery:
Finnish Textiles
I took a lot of inspiration from Finnish textiles. I discovered some online catalogues of both traditional and contemporary designs from Finnish artists, and figured they could serve as a great starting point as I identified colors, patterns, and textures that would be appropriate for this new identity.
Finnish Legends
The Kalevala is a compilation of Finnish mythology and folklore crafted into an epic poem in the nineteenth century. This work had a major influence on Finnish culture through art, literature, and music. It has even inspired works outside of Finland, from J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings to Donald Duck cartoons. The rich culture expressed in this work served as an excellent symbolic representation of the rich culture of Finland.
Finnish Design
Finland is home to several notable designers across disciplines. From the iconic textiles of Maija Isola to the modernist architecture and design of Alvar Alto, all the way to the revolutionary modern furniture of Aarnio Eero, each designer added rich value to the backstory of this brand. Form, shape, and color in these designers’ work inspired motifs that would be utilized in this museum’s visual identity.
As a museum that’s meant to encompass Finland from its ancient past to its present and future, I utilized the contrast between antiquated and contemporary forms as a key motif throughout the brand.
The logotype is based on the implied forms of the Finnish flag, an iconic element of Finland’s visual brand. Set in a distinct blurple and paired with a scandinavian-inspired typography, this juxtaposition of ancient and contemporary is a reflection of the rich and expansive history of the nation as well as the scope of the museum.
Bringing it to Life
To test the limits of this symbol, I conducted an experiment using generative AI. Drawing inspiration from different facets of Finnish culture, I placed the logo in context of various 2D and 3D executions to explore the ways it could interact with a physical environment. While the result isn’t necessarily a usable asset, it helped demonstrate the versatility of the logo.
After developing the visual identity’s core elements, I placed them in more tangible contexts to flesh out the museum’s brand world and continue to bring it to life. For many of them, I used a grid also based off of the flag’s cross as a consisten system that provided a necessary throughline.