Samarkand

City Branding

BUSINESS

Samarkand is a city in southeastern Uzbekistan and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Central Asia.

The city has carefully preserved the traditions of ancient crafts: embroidery, gold embroidery, silk weaving, engraving on copper, ceramics, carving and painting on wood. In 2001, UNESCO added the city to its World Heritage List as Samarkand – Crossroads of Cultures.

Modern-day Samarkand is divided into two parts: the old city, and the new city developed during the days of the Russian Empire and Soviet Union. The old city includes historical monuments, shops and old private houses, while the new city includes administrative buildings along with cultural centres and educational institutions.

OPPORTUNITY

Develop a brand identity for the city that could be applied across multiple touchpoints including tourist office website and app, posters and social media. The execution needed to appeal to a broad target audience with the objective of increasing interest in Samarkand as a tourist destination.

It also needed to serve as a unifier that captured the essence of the city and reflected both the residents and their values.

SOLUTION

The development of Samarkand over time has been influenced by four very different cultures: Russian, Arabic, Chinese and Indian. The design solution references how these key cultures have impacted the buildings of the city.

The result, including the colour palette, references Samarkand’s beautiful Islamic monuments and their mosaic art. First, the octagon shape was filled with different geometric shapes, which represents the rebuilding, transformation and diversity of Samarkand. These elements were then applied to the ‘A’s in the city name.

The poster series creates the story of a distinct city that benefits and identifies with each of its defining elements. This is the point of difference for Samarkand and is captured by the city brand idea of 'the continuity of endurance'.

*Created for Shillington College Portfolio