Name change: The Royal Danish Academy - Architecture, Design, Conservation

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The Royal Danish Academy - Architecture, Design, Conservation. This is the new name for the institution, formerly known as the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, Schools of Architecture, Design and Conservation (KADK). 

At the same time, the Royal Danish Academy - Architecture, Design, Conservation launches a new visual identity with an update of the historic seal, a new colour palette and a specially designed typography, which is to be a trademark in all external communication on websites, exhibition posters, social media, presentations, diplomas etc.

A dynamic between tradition and renewal
“With a simpler and communicable name as well as a visual identity that works well on all platforms we want to emphasize both our timeliness and our roots", says Lene Dammand Lund, rector at the Royal Danish Academy - Architecture, Design, Conservation. 

“With the new name we maintain the term ‘academy’ because it indicates that we work with the combination of practice, art and science. We are deeply rooted in the academy tradition as well as in Danish welfare design. But we are also an academy that is focused on the important agendas of our time. We research and educate to create positive change - to shape the future - and our name and visual identity must express this dynamic between renewal and tradition."

A name that conveys diversity
With the new name the abbreviation 'KADK' will be discontinued. It was the result of the merger in 2011, where the School of Architecture, the School of Design and the School of Conservation were merged. 

A major motivation behind the choice of name was the desire to create a common narrative across architecture, design and conservation and at the same time create space to communicate the diversity of activities that exist in an educational and research institution like ours. For example: 

The Royal Academy - Department of Architecture and Design
The Royal Academy - Fashion, Clothing & Textiles

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Farvepaletten består af fire grundfarver: orange, sand, hvid og sort
Fonten Akademi er udviklet specielt til den nye visuelle identitet.

An updated seal and a new typography
The name and the new visual identity have been developed in collaboration with Urgent.Agency. The cornerstones of the visual identity are a design update of the historical seal with Frederik V's monogram, a colour palette with black, white, orange and sand as well as a specially designed typography inspired by the functionalist tradition and Knud V. Engelhardt's Gentofte alphabet. 

The visual identity and the new name are the result of a thorough process, where professors have been interviewed and workshops held for managers, staff and students from all three professional tracks as well as the academy's board.

Visit our new designguide (in Danish)

For more information, please contact
Press consultant Henrik Bay, E: hbay@kadk.dk , T: +45 5353 4665
Press consultant Inge Henningsen, E: inge.henningsen@kadk.dk, T: +45 4170 1533