Industry: Civic / Cultural Landmark
Veterans Memorial Coliseum:
The Glass Palace
Our rebrand celebrates the Coliseum’s importance to local history and evokes a sense of reverence to support its evolving role as a multi-use venue.
Recognized as a National Historic Landmark and National Treasure, Portland’s Veterans Memorial Coliseum (VMC) has long stood as an icon of modernist design, civic pride, and community gathering.
Inspired by its nickname “The Glass Palace”, our brand concept takes the Coliseum back to its roots, positioning it as both a monumental structure and a cultural mirror, reflecting six decades of history, celebration, and connection.
Hailed as a major engineering achievement in 1960, the building itself is a perfect square from above. From the ground, a visitor to the Coliseum sees a mirror reflecting the sky; a reflection of Portland in all its multi-faceted glory.
Our logo suggests an optimistic view of the future and layers of the past, with a nod to stylistic gradients used by the Trailblazers during the 1970s. Color speaks to the coolness of ice, paired with typography inspired by the building’s distinctive geometry and International Style architecture.
The brand’s tonal palette is designed to integrate seamlessly with the secondary palette of the Portland Winterhawks.
Prompted by the many shapes the building creates against the sky, we designed the logo to be a versatile brand element: a container for event imagery and environmental wayfinding. Across applications and at varying scales, the logo and its silhouette enhance brand recognition through dynamic expression.
The new brand system positions the Coliseum not only as an event venue but also as a reflection of Portland itself, preserving the building’s architectural significance and spirit of gathering for the next generation.
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