The new logo of the Fritz Bauer Forum in Bochum

The FRITZ BAUER FORUM continues to slowly grow. Now the cultural and educational center for democracy and human rights is increasingly gaining its own face and profile. From January 2024, this will be expressed by our new logo with its own world of colors.

It was designed by Bochum artist Uwe Siemens. Here on the Fritz Bauer Blog, he describes what moved him to develop the logo and ultimately led to what we think is an exciting and dynamic design result. Some examples of this can be seen in his contribution to the presentation of the new logo.

A website relaunch was also planned for 2024/25. Before the Forum 2025 with seminar, event and office spaces, a magazine, store and café as well as a garden can become a reality, the conditions for barrier-free participation and barrier-free bookings of our exciting and challenging events must be created digitally. Our growing film and document archive also needs such access now.

We will continue to provide information about this and it is worth checking our website regularly to see where there will be new features and additions. (The editors)

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“More than just a graphic project”

By Uwe Siemens

The development of a logo for the FRITZ BAUER FORUM was more than just a graphic design project for me – it was an intensive examination of the person Fritz Bauer and the Forum. My aim was to capture the essence and spirit of this unique institution and to design a logo that is as catchy as possible and can unfold its presence on all media.

The monogram “FB” becomes the creative heart of the design, its curved shape conveying elegance and strength, dynamism and topicality at the same time. It serves as a symbol for the connection with the namesake.

The deliberate use of positive and negative forms in the logo represents the multi-faceted perspectives and approaches of the FRITZ BAUER FORUM. The positive form emphasizes the strength and determination of the organization, while the negative form adds a subtle complexity and profundity. This duality reflects the Forum’s mission to address complex issues and promote multi-layered discussions.

The color concept plays a central role by creating a unique atmosphere with broken colors. The shades have been carefully selected to convey respect, openness and a bridge to the past. These finely chosen colors are not only aesthetic elements, but also mirrors for the history and timeless relevance of the FRITZ BAUER FORUM.

The suggestion of a speech bubble as a communication symbol reinforces the message of the forum as a place for dialog and open discussion. It illustrates the importance of communication in the exchange of ideas and values.

When creating the logo for the FRITZ BAUER FORUM, the artistic and conceptual challenge was not only to create a visual trademark, but also to tell a story. The resulting logo is aesthetically representative and can also be read as a symbol of the dialog and values that the forum and its namesake Fritz Bauer stand for.

December 2023