City of Oakland

Agency

Objective Subject

Design Team

David Jalbert-Gagnier
Jesse Ragan

Oakland, California is a rapidly changing city known for its diverse and dynamic community. For decades, a stylized oak tree has represented the city and its intertwined citizenry.

Immersed in the city’s archives, we conducted in-depth research and visual audits, discovering iterations of the symbol tracing back to 1970’s. Throughout the symbols history, only minor tweaks had been made, preserving the intertwined beauty of the tree. Working with type designer Jesse Ragan, we refined symbol to create a better optical legibility for screens and small sizes.

An entire visual identity overhaul now allows the government to better communicate its offering to its residents.

design.oaklandca.gov →

The precise construction of Oakland’s wordmark and symbol was key in establishing the relationship between the elements. Space, scale and alignment was fundamental to serve as foundation to a comprehensive identity system.

Pairing clean typography, a refined, bold color palette and unique graphic elements helps organize Oakland’s multitude of communications. Maintaining the cohesive visual identity, will convey the city’s unity between the government and it’s public amplifying the messages and offerings.