Purpose

In collaboration with 🔗 Welcome to Chinatown 🔗 for the 2nd Annual North American Chinatown Solidarity Conference, this project aimed to showcase the unique blend of New York City’s culture with Chinatown's history. Working alongside Welcome to Chinatown's Creative Director, we developed the logo design. Throughout the process, we explored various experimental design approaches. As the Logo Designer, reflecting the spirit of New York's Chinatown and emphasizing the event’s role in cultural development and connection is our goal through this project.

The 2nd Annual Chinatown Solidarity Conference

My Service

  • Creative Conceptualization

  • Logo Design

  • Motion Design

  • Color Selection

Credits

  • Welcome to Chinatown

    Harry Wong, Creative Director

The 1st Chinatown Solidarity Conference

The 1st Chinatown Solidarity Conference Logo

History

The Vancouver Chinatown Foundation led the First North America Chinatown Solidarity Conference in Vancouver, marking the beginning of a significant movement to unite Chinatowns across the U.S. and Canada. The goal was to address shared challenges and explore new opportunities through collaboration.

Building on this foundation, Welcome to Chinatown hosted the 2nd Annual Chinatown Solidarity Conference in New York City. This year’s conference brought together representatives from Chinatowns across North America, as well as national organizations focused on advocacy and community support. The event aimed to deepen collective impact and develop actionable strategies to ensure that Chinatowns remain vital, resilient, and vibrant for future generations.

Goal

The original logo was inspired by traditional Chinese gates, incorporating key elements that represent Chinese and Asian culture. The design features dark brown and red tones, complemented by green tiles. This year’s goal is to build upon last year's logo, creating an updated version that better aligns with the vibrant atmosphere of New York City.

Question

  • How can we reflect the unique atmosphere of New York's Chinatown in the logo design?

  • How can we showcase a sense of fun through the logo while also expressing an inclusive vibe for younger audiences?

  • How can we ensure the new logo maintains a connection to the 1st Logo of Chinatown Solidarity Conference design?

Research

In a conversation with Harry, I learned about the unique history and architectural blend of Manhattan’s Chinatown. The architecture largely follows the style of tenement buildings—typically 4-6 story walk-ups with smaller apartments and commercial spaces at the street level. After observing, I took some photos that I found interesting.

Compared to Chinatowns in San Francisco, Washington DC, and Philadelphia, Manhattan’s Chinatown has a stronger fusion of Chinese and Western cultures, particularly in the blend of Art Deco and traditional Chinese architecture. During my research, two things also stood out: the street signs are marked in Chinese, and the distinct pagoda-style street lamps, first installed in the 1960s-70s, still dot the neighborhood, adding to its unique character.

Process

Final Version

Final Logo

In the final design, we incorporated elements of New York's street signs and distinctive pagoda-style street lamps, merging them to capture both the urban vibe of the city and the unique character of Manhattan's Chinatown. By layering multiple elements—such as lanterns, street signs, and lamps—we created a sense of diversity and fusion that reflects the spirit of Chinatown. This design also represents how New York's Chinatown continues to evolve with the times while preserving its core cultural essence in new and meaningful ways.

The inclusion of pigeons, a symbol of New York's energy and vitality, adds a lively dynamic to the design, representing the ever-present vibrancy of the city. This final presentation captures the authentic blend of tradition and modernity that defines Chinatown.character.