The identity system of Ho Chi Minh City metro line is a graduation project of students.

HCMC Metro's logo identity after redesign

Metro identity is also a student graduation project

Nguyen Pham Truong An (right) and Nguyen Thai Hoc with MSc. Tran Thi Nhat Tram - lecturer of graphic design at Hoa Sen University, also the group's graduation project advisor - Photo provided by the character

The team that redesigned the HCMC Metro logo are two former students of Hoa Sen University, Nguyen Pham Truong An and Nguyen Thai Hoc. Part of what makes the HCMC Metro identity project special is that it is also their graduation project.

“When I heard that the management board had finalized it, I was so happy that I immediately called my parents to tell them, but I guess I was so happy that I can’t remember what I said. Today, when I walked into the entire metro line and saw that everywhere was the identity system that I designed myself, I felt an indescribable feeling, both proud and happy,” Truong An said.

Truong An said that when he was a senior student (2021), the two worked together on a project to redesign the logo and brand identity for the Ho Chi Minh City urban railway project (HCMC Metro).

The idea of ​​redesigning the HCMC Metro logo was an order. The “broker” who connected the group to the project was Ms. Tran Thi Nhat Tram. Ms. Tram is a lecturer in graphic design and also the group’s graduation project advisor.

Pressure to the point of helplessness because of constant fixing, but no time to get discouraged

It took 4-5 revisions for the project to be approved – Photo provided by the subject

Truong An said that the group did not just make changes and get them approved right away. For almost the entire 3 months, both of them ate and slept together on the project.

The project investor's request is to only redesign and redraw based on the original logo idea from 2015. This is to maintain the brand vision and familiarity with the logo identity that has been associated with HCMC Metro for so long.

Before that, there were about 4-5 drawings that were returned because they were “not satisfied”. Both of them were under a lot of pressure at that time. But because of the urgent time, both the prestige with the investor and the graduation project - the result of years of hard work and study, we had to try. “We were under a lot of pressure because we kept making changes, but there was no time to be discouraged”, Truong An confided.

Leaders of the Urban Railway Management Board and HURC1 Company attended and listened to the report on the results of the experimental project of Truong An and Thai Hoc on the brand identity of HCMC Metro - Photo provided by the character

Not just redesigning the metro logo

According to Truong An, the changes to the current official identity logo of HCMC Metro were created to increase simplicity and versatility. More importantly, it helps the logo to be more consistent with the criteria and characteristics of the HCMC Metro brand: safe, modern, and the pride of all the people of HCMC and the people of the whole country.

In addition to the HCMC Metro brand logo, the team also completely redesigned other brand identities such as stationery, uniforms, train route identities, infographics, etc. Focusing on the people's experience, with recognizable, friendly and easy-to-use designs.

It is known that after many surveys, research and editing sessions, in January 2021, the brand identity for the HCMC Metro line redesigned by Truong An and Thai Hoc was selected to replace and use throughout the metro system.

From graduation project to creative advertising award

Truong An boasts that in December 2023, the project HCMC Metro's brand identity system named Mê tro - Mê phố has won the Promising Image Design Award at the Vietnam Creative Advertising Awards 2023. This is a national award, organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in coordination with the Vietnam Advertising Association, to honor and recognize the contributions of advertisers.

Truong An is from Kien Giang, and Thai Hoc is from Ho Chi Minh City and both graduated as valedictorians in graphic design in 2021 with the above design project.

Truong An said he is currently a graphic design lecturer at a university in Ho Chi Minh City, as well as a freelance designer. Thai Hoc is currently residing in Canada, working as a freelance graphic designer and tattoo artist, which is his passion.

HCMC Metro's identity design by the team – Photo provided by the character

The identity system on the first metro car was redesigned by Truong An and Thai Hoc – Photo provided by the character

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/bo-nhan-dien-tuyen-metro-tp-hcm-la-do-an-tot-nghiep-cua-sinh-vien-20241223001640097.htm