From the Bauhaus to house music, skyscrapers to a perfected grid structure, Chicago has long been a city where design, civic imagination, and hands-on making intersect to shape the world. The Chicago Design Archive (CDA) preserves that influence. To extend its preservation efforts and engage a new generation, the CDA partnered with Span to create a brand identity for its public auction.

The visual identity began with a formal insight: Chicago, Archive, and Auction all share the same character count. Stacked vertically, the words form an architectural spine—echoing the city’s structural language. The repeated word Design becomes a throughline, threading continuity and reinforcing the event’s purpose.

Our goal was to create a graphic framework that broke from the reserved tropes typical of archives and auctions. Instead of minimalism or reverence, typography became the engine—transforming the Archive from static preservation to active participation. The logo becomes a living grid: stacked, compressed, and assembled with intent. It breathes and pulses—more kinetic system than mark. The motion suggests tension, release, and anticipation—an archive in action. This energy carried through the auction experience. Items and their designers were introduced through movement, everything timed to the same internal beat.

Design as Investment

300% revenue growth compared to previous auctions

Boosted donated works through renewed confidence and excitement around the event

Delivered record attendance with a sharp rise in cross-generational engagement

Expanded community reach with higher social media visibility and sustained public attention