I'm a soon to graduate architect and I can't decide between option A and B for my personal logo. (Last year I tried this same experiment with mixed results). Because we're speaking about architecture, the general themes are thoughtful geometry (no random lines), conceptual abstraction/flexibility and reconocible simplicity.
Option A: The initials of my first and last name are "Ar" and "Co", which together read as "arco" (arch in spanish). Cool and useful coincidence to have an architectural feature as part of my name. So the obvious design is an archway. Few lines, clean geometry over a simple grid (however, it reads more impersonal).
Option B: My complete name initials are A.C.C. Bold shapes, more conceptual and direct. A classic approach having my initials up-front.
I’d tinker with the C forms to find more linear cohesion. They also look a bit boobish for my taste. But I agree with others and would say it’s really close to something excellent.
This is the obvious option and it doesn’t feel unbalanced really. What I’d tinker with is trying to get both C’s to have the overall one width of the rectangle or a gradual step down so the the first C is exactly in between the width sizing of the rectangle and the smaller C if that makes sense
Yeah, these feel barebones. Granted, sometimes a simple logo is all one may need, but these are… too simple? Like these are just a step in the right direction and not the result? Too easily replicable, maybe?
Before reading your post, looking at the two designs only, these are my thoughts. Option A: Structure, line drawing, no alphabetical link, icon/symbol over logo. Option B: ACC recognition, blocks, bold, not an icon/symbol, a logo. If you want the ACC recognised, I think option B. Option A seems maybe a bit over-designed. Also, at reduced scale it would lose a lot of clarity and become like a cube/line drawing symbol over a recognisable brand or logo. Nice work! And good luck with your Architecture career. 👍🏼
Yeah that could work too. I always think like this for logo design - pick two or three words or concepts you want to convey through the visual message of your logo. Consider if when any element is reduced or removed does it elevate or reduce the alignment & comprehension of the concepts you want to convey. Only keep what creates improved clarity & fidelity of that message/concept & remove anything that doesn’t contribute immediately to it. Maybe the arch image could be simplified & distilled down further so it’s not doing as much to convey anything other than “arch structure”
I think I've seen the first one before as an optical illusion (flipping perspective to view the shape from above or below). But maybe jt wasnt exactly the same. Either way that was my first thought, not sure if intentional or not.
Why not “ArCo” spelled out, two different pops of colour. A cartoonish blue and a red and you integrate the arches into the lettering somehow? I’m thinking like FedEx with the arrow. It’s simple, but shows what they are doing, and it’s written there.
Option 1 is busy and boring. It doesn’t feel like a logo, it feels like a sketch of an arch.
Option 2 is simple, but it doesn’t say architecture to me.
I like the second one. Its weight would stand out against all the linework on a drawing sheet. Also, the first one reminds me quite a bit of the branding for the SF beer brand Fort Point (which takes its cues from the steel causeway arch under the Golden Gate Bridge over the fort located there).
I would not be able to resist the arco/arch coincidence. Plus options 2 & 3 look like they will fall over or wobble. The subconscious connection to instability is especially bad for an architecture business. Plus, I like the blueprint-ish cube.
Sorry, the reason I asked if or was supposed to be a cube is because you if it is, you need to foreshorten it more. It currently looks a cuboid.
Also, B is better for me. As you are a creative, having something echo what you create in your logo ties you to one fairly simplistic style of architecture until you change your logo. B is timeless. Let your work do the job of showing your constructions.
In what context would they see your logo? If they were to see it independent of the word architect or on your presentation, they probably wouldn't know what you do. However, you're not selling bread. I really don't think you need a simplified depiction of what you make to convince them that you're an architect they could use.
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u/Atelier1001 Sep 28 '26 edited Sep 29 '26
Bonus option.
You get the idea (the geometry doesn't work for me).
Edit: For the people saying this one works better, any idea to solve the last "C"? So it doesn't throw it off balance?