UPenn Weitzman School of Design

Every year the UPenn Weitzman School of Design hosts a series of lectures and events that are free and open to the public. This lecture series is key to engaging the wider Philadelphia community, providing a public resource, acting as a recruitment tool, and offering opportunities to connect with alumni and donors.

In 2019, the School of Design at the University of Pennsylvania was renamed and rebranded as the Stuart Weitzman School of Design. When the campus reopened in 2021 after the Covid 19 pandemic, marketing the in-person events was a chance to reintroduce the brand. As audiences grew to recognize it easily, Studio Rainwater has designed a new look and feel for each season—always grounded in the visual identity, while creating a sense of excitement around the events.

For the 2023–24 season’s campaign, we drew inspiration for the graphic treatment from the grid-like façade of Meyerson Hall, the mid-century building that houses most of the school’s departments. Typical of the era, the building is constructed from brick and reinforced concrete that can feel stark and boxy, but the vibrant work being done by students brings the interior to life.

The dark gray outer panels of the folded mailer open into a vibrantly colored calendar poster, evoking this dynamic inner world of the building. Diagonal lines, a component of the school’s visual identity, bring a sense of movement to the squares that is further emphasized in animated versions used for the digital components of the campaign.

In 2021 and 2022, the design embraced the headline “Open for Discussion,” referencing the reopening of the school and extending an invitation to the public to participate in the free events.

For the 2022–23 series, the opening and depth were evoked through layers of color and shadow. Animation further activated the digital components of the identity, creating eye-catching motion that stood out in a crowded social media landscape.

For the 2021–22 series, we created a die cut poster that folded neatly into a booklet, leaving a hole in the center that literally referenced a sense of openness. Bold and playful color pairings brought a feeling of fun and excitement to the pieces.