European Ecovillage Gathering Visual Identity Design Brief

Project Overview

GEN Europe, the European branch of the Global Ecovillage Network, seeks a comprehensive visual identity for the European Ecovillage Gathering, to be used indefinitely from 2026 on. This gathering serves as more than a celebration—it is a critical forum for exploring the full complexity of ecovillage life and examining their role in the polycrisis era.

The objective of this competition is to create a brand logo for the European Ecovillage Gathering that reflects the values and mission of GEN Europe and has a certain connection to GEN logo and branding. The logo will serve as the central visual identity for the Gathering from 2026 on and will be adaptable to reflect the unique theme and venue of each annual event, being flexible enough to accommodate new illustrations and fonts each year, which will highlight the unique aspects of that year’s event.

Purpose & Mission Alignment

The European Ecovillage Gathering exists to:

  1. Learn & cross-pollinate: Share & deepen knowledge rooted in lived experience—covering ecology, education, governance, economy, and more—drawing on decades of practice within ecovillages and community projects.
  2. Embrace Complexity: Hold space for honest conversations about both the inspiring achievements and the tensions of community life.
  3. Contextualize Ecovillages: Explore how ecovillages connect with broader currents like degrowth, climate justice, and systemic transformation.
  4. Take action in the Polycrisis: Explore how ecovillages function as laboratories for resilience in our current polycrisis—climate, social, economic, and political upheaval.
  5. Weave Networks of Solidarity: Connect and reconnect ecovillagers and allied organisations and individuals from across Europe to forge collaborative partnerships and shared projects that extend beyond individual communities. 
  6. Nurture a New Narrative: Cultivate and spread a story of possibility and hope—one that celebrates life, inspires system transformation, and shows that another way of living together is not only imaginable but already alive.

Brand Positioning

This visual identity should position the Gathering as:

  • Transformation-Oriented: Focused on real-world solutions for planetary and social challenges
  • Learning Laboratory: Space for experimentation and knowledge creation
  • Aligned to GEN Europe’s Mission: Building regenerative, socially just communities and cultures across Europe.

Target Audiences

Primary Audiences:

  • Ecovillage residents, founders as well as ecovillage-curious seeking deeper community understanding
  • Academics and researchers studying alternative social models
  • Activists within degrowth, postgrowth climate justice and other movements
  • Policy makers and social entrepreneurs exploring systemic alternatives
  • Writers, Storytellers, Content Creators
  • Families

Secondary Audiences:

  • Sustainability practitioners and environmental activists
  • International participants from diverse cultural backgrounds
  • Local communities in host regions
  • Media and thought leaders in ecological and social transformation

Visual Identity Requirements

Core Logo Design

  • Adaptable Foundation: A primary logo that maintains consistency while accommodating annual variations
  • Complexity Navigation: Should convey depth and nuance rather than superficial harmony
  • Movement Integration: Visual connection to GEN Europe’s existing identity and broader movement aesthetics

Technical Specifications

  • File Format: PDF including logo design, design statement, colour palette and fonts
  • Color Systems: Full color, black and white, single color, and reversed versions
  • Scalability: From large-format banners to social media icons
  • Application Range: Digital platforms, print materials, merchandise, signage

Brand Personality

The visual identity should embody:

  • Depth over Surface: Sophisticated rather than simplistic
  • Integration: Connecting rather than isolating
  • Hope with Realism: Optimistic yet grounded in real challenges
  • Movement-Connected: Part of larger transformation rather than isolated experiment

The visual identity should not embody:

  • Superficial Counterculture Aesthetics
  • “Back to Land” Romanticism
  • Exclusionary Aesthetics
  • Oversimplified Solutions
  • Academic Detachment

Evaluation Criteria

Designs will be assessed on:

  • Adaptability: Flexibility for annual themes and cultural contexts
  • Authenticity: Genuine representation of ecovillage reality beyond romanticization

Application Context

The identity will be used across:

  • Digital Platforms: Websites, social media, online registration systems
  • Print Materials: Programs, academic papers, policy documents, promotional materials
  • Event Materials: Signage, badges, presentation templates
  • Merchandise
  • Partnership Materials: Co-branding with movement organizations and academic institutions

Success Metrics

A successful identity will:

  • Attract engaged participants seeking substantive learning
  • Support annual adaptations while maintaining brand recognition
  • Appeal to movement allies 
  • Represent ecovillages as serious alternatives rather than lifestyle choices
  • Build recognition for GEN Europe’s role in systemic transformation