Today we are happy to share that the campus community will be greeted this August with fresh new building signs on main campus that are long overdue and will require much less maintenance. With the signage project already scheduled, we are also taking the opportunity to refresh the Rotunda Symbol and wordmark.
The beloved Rotunda Symbol is a contemporary yet classic mark used across campus, and the addition of the door in the refreshed mark represents Longwood’s open culture and welcoming atmosphere. Combined with a refreshed wordmark, this contemporary, versatile logo will be phased in over the next several months.
The University Seal, which also features an image of the Rotunda, will not change. Its classic silhouette will continue to adorn diplomas, Board of Visitors documents, and other official uses. The seal was designed in 2002 by David Whaley, design director, and was based on the 1976 College Seal that featured an original drawing of the Rotunda by Barbara L. Bishop ‘60, professor of art from 1965-90.
Students, parents, alumni, and faculty all say the same thing: Longwood is a place of open arms and open doors.
Dave Hooper, associate vice president, marketing and engagement Tweet This
A Tradition of Openness
For nearly two centuries, Longwood has built its reputation on a friendly, welcoming atmosphere--from the full-time faculty who invite students to collaborate in their office to the friendly faces at Radcliff Hall eager to show prospective students our stunning campus.
That open door to the world is the centerpiece of a refreshed Rotunda symbol that updates the iconic image found across campus with a streamlined, modern feel.
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Refreshed Rotunda Symbol
“Students, parents, alumni, and faculty all say the same thing: Longwood is a place of open arms and open doors,” said Dave Hooper, associate vice president, marketing and engagement. “This streamlined design reflects that feeling while keeping the same shape and recognizable Rotunda image that has come to represent Longwood. It’s a design that reflects a campus that is looking forward, building on our strengths and forging a bright future.”
The Rotunda Symbol is ubiquitous on campus, and it was important that we keep a continuity with that identity.
JoDee Stringham, Director of Design Tweet This
Continuity Meets Contemporary
The refreshed symbol takes a streamlined approach and adds a front door to the iconic image Rotunda that has become synonymous with Longwood itself.
“The Rotunda Symbol is ubiquitous on campus, and it was important that we keep a continuity with that identity,” said Director of Design JoDee Stringham, who designed the new symbol. “We are reaching backward while looking forward—a great metaphor for a university that relies so much on its history to build the future. We were not looking for a visual overhaul but a more modern take on a recognizable image.”
Reflecting the confidence and height of the iconic Rotunda, the symbol’s peaked front door echoes the building’s pediment and reinforces Longwood’s welcoming culture. The elegant design also simplifies the overall look, streamlining the bold lines so the Rotunda’s grandeur is even more prominent.
The university’s wordmark—the stylized “Longwood University” in use on letterhead, invitations, and various other uses across campus—has undergone a similar refresh. Replacing the font Adobe Garamond is the more versatile and modern serif font Chronicle.
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Refreshed Wordmark
Together, the refreshed Rotunda Symbol and wordmark combine to form an elegant, versatile, and welcoming logo for the start of the 2021 academic year.
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Refreshed Logotype (Logo)
The previous Rotunda Symbol and wordmark had been in place for more than two decades, originally designed Domenica Genovese, principle of the design firm GCF, in conjunction with David Whaley, design director, in 2000.
A Fresh Look For 2021
The first place the refreshed Rotunda Symbol will appear on campus is adorning new building signs that were scheduled to be replaced this year with a simpler design that will require less yearly maintenance and replacement. It has been nearly 20 years since the current exterior campus signage was installed.
Campus Signage
“The projects aligned so perfectly,” said Lori Blackwood, associate vice president for operations and services. “We were working on replacing the signs so they would no longer have the departments inside—which took a lot of maintenance and printing to change frequently—and the refreshed Rotunda Symbol was finishing up at the same time. It just made sense to roll it out on the new signage for a new semester.”
After the new outdoor signage is installed, the Rotunda Symbol will be phased in across campus, both indoors and out. That process will take several months.