Brand Identity for Kyoto Cultural Triennale
A timber joint becomes a cultural identity system.
Pentagram created the identity for YouMe Kyoto Triennale, a new cultural event bringing together art, craft and design in Kyoto. The flexible symbol, inspired by an interlocking Japanese timber joint and the five classical elements, extends across exhibition graphics, garden structures, wayfinding and a catalogue.
Insights
- Pentagram built the Kyōto YouMe Triennale symbol from an interlocking three-part Japanese timber joint and connected its flexible forms to the five Godai elements: earth, water, fire, wind and void.
- Partner Harry Pearce and his team created the identity, with associate partner Johannes Grimmond helping develop the symbol, for the inaugural Triennale scheduled for October 2026 in Kyoto.
- Pentagram says the modular mark can appear as solid or open forms, hold imagery or textures, be embossed or printed on fabric, and extend across exhibition graphics and wayfinding.
- The identity also includes a monospaced wordmark, three-dimensional logo structures, graphics for Shōsei-en Gardens and a catalogue.
- The organizers explain “YouMe” as joining “you and me” with yume, Japanese for “dream”; the Triennale centers on art, craft and design.
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