Designed while at Thirst

In 1974, Paul Rand designed Columbus Indiana: A Look at Architecture. This book showcased the city’s modernist architecture. The cover featured a playful motif referred to as the “Dancing Cs,” and with Rand’s permission, Columbus adopted the dancing Cs as its graphic identity.

In 2017, the Columbus Area Visitor’s Center leadership initiated a project to create branding for four unique neighborhoods. The goal was to create visible connections throughout the city by giving form to the unique personalities of each neighborhood.

While at Thirst, Rick Valicenti and Bud Rodecker led the research and design process in collaboration with Elaine Lopez. Our process began with community engagement presentations and interviews, as we believe that Columbus residents know their city’s design legacy best. Many vibrant exchanges revealed that the community had a keen awareness of design. This creative process was richly rewarded with inspiration from Columbus residents.

Our design process put forth the hypothesis that graphic design, like architecture, needs to be maintained.

Following the Columbus Neighborhood Brands research and design process, Thirst continued their work with the city to implement the plan.

A fleet of ColumBuses was dipped in dancing Cs to complement the street banners installed along Washington Street, and five iconic 26’ sculptures now punctuate the Exit 76 shopping district.