Guimarães was awarded the title of European Green Capital 2026 by the European Union, in recognition of decades of consistent investment in environmental policies, public space, and the relationship between people and their territory. Design by OOF was challenged to create a visual identity capable of bringing together all the communication for this event, while respecting the mandatory use of the award’s official logo, which cannot be altered.
Our approach was guided by the campaign motto, “One Planet City,” and by the need to create an identity system — rather than a new logo — that could coexist with the official European Green Capital symbol. We developed a simple and symbolic graphic gesture: two parentheses that function as an “embrace” of the planet, complemented by a strong typeface, a consistent color palette, and a visual language for photography and illustration. These parentheses can be used as a frame, a focus tool, or a metaphor for the outline of the Earth, allowing for great flexibility of application across multiple media.
The solution reinforces the ideas of unity, empathy, and collective responsibility, seeking to transform the identity into a shared movement. Graphic production was designed using standardized formats to avoid waste, prioritizing local production and participatory actions that directly involve the community. The identity system is versatile and reinforces the project’s core values, enabling Guimarães 26 to be communicated as a city that breathes sustainability and inspires the future — from local action to the world.