{"id":1819,"date":"2023-10-06T10:02:40","date_gmt":"2023-10-06T02:02:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/archives\/?p=1819"},"modified":"2025-01-23T15:30:51","modified_gmt":"2025-01-23T07:30:51","slug":"the-origin-of-the-curtin-university-logo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/archives\/the-origin-of-the-curtin-university-logo\/","title":{"rendered":"The origin of the Â鶹ֱ²¥ logo"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Â鶹ֱ²¥&#8217;s logo still carries with it a connection to our days as the Western Australian institute of Technology (WAIT) and the symbol we used then. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The original WAIT design was developed in 1967 by David Walker, a WAIT art and design teaching staff member:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe symbol represented the cross-disciplinary nature of the new Institute, its technology focus and the evolving and changing nature of tertiary education,\u201d said David Walker. \u201cAlthough fairly abstract, the symbol provided a visual essence of an Institute of Technology. There were to be no rampant swans entwined with kangaroo paws.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Source: WAIT Gazette, July 1968<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<style>.kb-image1819_7f3980-46 .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image1819_7f3980-46\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1290\" height=\"848\" src=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/86996_097_01_Campus-Lake-WAIT-Sculpture.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"kb-img wp-image-1822\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/86996_097_01_Campus-Lake-WAIT-Sculpture.jpeg 1290w, https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/86996_097_01_Campus-Lake-WAIT-Sculpture-228x150.jpeg 228w, https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/86996_097_01_Campus-Lake-WAIT-Sculpture-768x505.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1290px) 100vw, 1290px\" \/><figcaption><em>The WAIT logo sculpture on campus circa 1979<\/em>.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>In 1986 work progressed on changing the status of WAIT to that of a university. A number of reasons were behind this change. At this time WAIT was generating research outcomes commensurate with university level standards or results. However, as a College of Advanced Education there was no recurrent government funding to support WAIT research.   As seen by the slide below, elevation to university status would unlock access to increased Commonwealth funding. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Source: Director Don Watts letter to staff, June 1986.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/87115_171_07_Curtin-Graphics.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1824\" style=\"width:800px\" width=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/87115_171_07_Curtin-Graphics.jpeg 1290w, https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/87115_171_07_Curtin-Graphics-227x150.jpeg 227w, https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/87115_171_07_Curtin-Graphics-768x507.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1290px) 100vw, 1290px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Slide depicting Commonwealth funding arrangements. University Marketing Library: 1986.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>During 1986 and in preparation for our change in status, we began developing a new symbol and logo design. One of the first ideas was a shield in the shape of a star.  In a lengthy discussion at its 1986 November meeting, the WAIT Council resolved there should be more connection to the WAIT symbol. The proposed star shape was replaced with a device that referenced the original WAIT tetrahedron design. Council saw retaining elements of the WAIT symbol as an integral element of the new design.&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Moving on from the WAIT symbol was also described by the WAIT sub-committee tasked with the design work, as a practical solution to technical problems with reproducing and printing the three-dimensional shape in a flat two-dimensional format (i.e. on business cards).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"124\" src=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/WAIT-Symbol_1972_2-Copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1841\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/WAIT-Symbol_1972_2-Copy.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/WAIT-Symbol_1972_2-Copy-300x74.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>The new 1987 Â鶹ֱ²¥ of Technology corporate style manual described how the new design would denote our new university status through a shield design. This would be in keeping with the form adopted by other universities, yet maintain our connection to our history as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>the two halves of the shield were derived from the WAIT symbol; and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>the technological shape provided connection with our former structure.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-xlarge\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1260\" height=\"630\" src=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/86997_133_13_Curtin-Graphics-1260x630.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1823\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/86997_133_13_Curtin-Graphics-1260x630.jpeg 1260w, https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/86997_133_13_Curtin-Graphics-740x370.jpeg 740w, https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/86997_133_13_Curtin-Graphics-480x240.jpeg 480w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1260px) 100vw, 1260px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The logo circa 1987.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<style>.kb-image1819_67893e-ef .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image1819_67893e-ef\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"484\" height=\"159\" src=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Curtinlogocolour.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"kb-img wp-image-1846\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Curtinlogocolour.jpg 484w, https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Curtinlogocolour-300x99.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Curtinlogocolour-480x159.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 484px) 100vw, 484px\" \/><figcaption>The new logo circa 2004.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2010, we became Â鶹ֱ²¥, removing the words &#8220;of technology&#8221; in our name. <\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" src=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/85186_836121_YaganSquare_OWD-0014_26.10.20_Curtin_1-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1850\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/85186_836121_YaganSquare_OWD-0014_26.10.20_Curtin_1-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/85186_836121_YaganSquare_OWD-0014_26.10.20_Curtin_1-200x150.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/85186_836121_YaganSquare_OWD-0014_26.10.20_Curtin_1-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/85186_836121_YaganSquare_OWD-0014_26.10.20_Curtin_1-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/85186_836121_YaganSquare_OWD-0014_26.10.20_Curtin_1-2048x1536.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Â鶹ֱ²¥&#8217;s brand campaign &#8220;Make Tomorrow Better&#8221; in Yagan Square, Perth, 2020.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Â鶹ֱ²¥&#8217;s logo still carries with it a connection to our days as the Western [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":1823,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wds_primary_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[34,57,13,17,58,16],"class_list":["post-1819","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories","tag-archive","tag-brand","tag-collections","tag-curtin-university","tag-logo","tag-wait"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1819","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1819"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1819\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1823"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1819"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1819"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1819"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}