Visual identity

aalto.fi
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Overview

These guidelines outline how Aalto Univer-

sitys visual identity is to be implemented in
the digital domain.
When designing digital services, Aalto Uni-
versitys basic communications principles
must always be observed:
Appropriate
functional, logical, practical
University-spirited and sophisticated
simple, uncluttered, stylish
Graphic
fresh, colourful, dynamic, clean-cut
Engaging
sympathetic, explanatory, informative,
genuine, warm, honest
Natural
light touch, lively, direct, spontaneous,
relaxed
This document contains key guidelines on
how to use the universitys graphic design
elements in the digital domain, but is not
a comprehensive manual. More detailed
guidelines and additional information
can be found in Aalto Universitys Visual
Guidelines.

Further information:
Communications, Aalto University
visu@aalto.fi
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Logo
x

Exclusion area

The vertical version of the logo should be

used in online and other digital services. x

The horizontal version is preferred for the x

universitys schools, as this gives slightly

more emphasis to the text component and
makes the name of the school easier to read.

Location
The Aalto University logo should be placed
in the upper or lower left-hand corner of
the page.
When placing the logo, allowance should be
made for the exclusion area that surrounds
it on all sides, as in the case of printed mate-
rial. No other elements should be placed in
the general vicinity of the logo outside this x

exclusion area either. x

Exclusion area

x
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Colours
RGB RGB RGB RGB
245, 203, 8 221, 83, 84 0, 108, 180 136, 129, 120
HEX HEX HEX HEX
The colour palette defined in Aalto Universi- #f5cb08 #dd5354 #006cb4 #888178
tys Visual Guidelines should also be used in
digital applications.
Small differences in shades, together with
fades, can be used in digital designs, as well
as very light blacks, to help users distinguish
between different elements of the design or
identity the functionality of specific items
(for ex. dividing areas of content by back- RGB RGB RGB Light greys can be used
ground colours and for buttons, forms, and 234, 161, 36 227, 120, 40 171, 51, 136 in digital applications in
navigation elements). addition to the standard
colour palette.
HEX HEX HEX
#eaa124 #e37828 #ab3388

RGB RGB RGB

106, 69, 147 0, 158, 105 124, 184, 47
HEX HEX HEX
#6a4593 #009e69 #7cb82f
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Typography
Nimbus Sentinel
Fonts
Nimbus Sans is a

Sans Bold Bold Italic

digital version of
the Helvetica font
Nimbus Sans Bold, based on Helvetica, is designed in 1958
by Max Miedinger
the primary font used in Aalto Universitys

Sentinel
produced by URW

Nimbus
graphic identity. Studio in 1982.
Sentinel is used as a supplementary font.

Book
Sentinel was designed
Together, these two fonts create a visually
effective, clearly recognisable, and versa-
tile combination and are the universitys
by Jonathan Hoefler
and Tobias Frere-
Jones in 2009.
Sans
official fonts.

Alternative fonts

Arial
In cases where Aalto Universitys official
Georgia
Alternative fonts
fonts are not available, they can be substitut-

Bold
ed by the following fonts, which are part of
the standard system font collections on both
PC and Macintosh computers:: Bold Italic
Arial substitutes for Nimbus Sans.
Georgia substitutes for Sentinel.
Arial Georgia
Regular Regular
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Page views,
aalto.fi
Home page
Page views, aalto.fi 7

Second-level home page

Page views, aalto.fi 8

Home page of one of

the universitys schools

NB:
This is a draft,
not the final version.
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Header,
aalto.fi
Links in the header are used to open a drop-
down menu and provide an overview of
the contents of the area concerned. It also
enables the user to find the items that they
are looking for quickly and easily.
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Header,
schools
The header on the pages of the universitys
schools is smaller and takes the form of
a band of colour coordinated to match the
schools colour.
This is intended to prevent users confusing
a schools pages with the universitys pages
or those of other schools.
Click here gives the user access to the up-
per navigation area of the universitys pages.
Direct links are used to select different lan-
guages or open the search function, without
having to open the entire header.
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Footer

The footer area at aalto.fi lists the entire

content of the site and provides a quick
overview of what is available. Users can
navigate to different areas of content di-
rectly from here.
The bottom of the footer contains the
logo, a brief description of the university,
contact information, and links to various
social media..
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Aalto University 2013

Guide updated 13.5.2013