Pulkovo Airport Unveils Updated Logo by Lebedev Studio
On January 30, Pulkovo Airport unveiled an updated logo developed by Artemy Lebedev Studio. This symbol is a refined version of a design created for the air harbor 12 years ago.
Artemy Lebedev explained that the logo contains several meanings. «On one hand, these are airplane tails that are easily recognizable. This shows intensive traffic: many planes, one arriving, another departing,» the designer noted.
Upon closer inspection, drawbridges can be seen in the logo. «This is a symbol of St. Petersburg, people fly in to see them,» said Lebedev. The third, hidden meaning is the letter «L». «Leningrad is a hero-city, and here we managed to combine all these meanings together,» he emphasized.
The font used in the logo references the civil script of Peter the First. «Some elements can be called a bit strange,» admitted Lebedev. «This is necessary so that the eye is initially irritated, then cannot forget it and always recognizes it. Because if you take standard, proven fonts, they won»t be remembered for anything.«
Dynamic patterns in the logo use architectural elements from the airport terminal. A version in Latin script is also provided.
According to Lebedev, the previous logo used by Pulkovo came «from the turbulent nineties» and «resembles a submarine.» Later, the airport clarified that it was meant to be the silhouette of an airplane. «And it»s a bit strange that an airport has a logo in the form of a submarine that persistently surfaces like this,« the designer concluded.
The cost of developing the new logo is not disclosed under the contract terms, but it was «very comfortable,» said Alexandra Sablina, head of PR and marketing communications at Vozdushnye Vorota Severnoy Stolitsy (Air Gates of the Northern Capital company). She noted that it involved refining a logo created by the same Lebedev 12 years ago, which was previously almost unused.
The head of the management company, Leonid Sergeev, explained that back then the logo was not in demand, but now it harmoniously fits into the airport«s transformation. The costs for rebranding are not named, as the update will be gradual, and the old logo will be preserved as a »vintage option.«
The new symbol is already placed in the updated business lounge at Pulkovo. Soon it will appear on 30 buses for passenger transfer, which will arrive in the summer. A website modernization is also planned to make it more concise, with a focus on schedule and service ordering.
According to Sablina, the new identity is meant to create a recognizable visual code for positioning Pulkovo and St. Petersburg in new markets such as Turkey, China, Persian Gulf countries, and India. Sergeev noted that international passenger flow is growing, with a 24% increase in the last quarter and 36% in the first 25 days of this year.
Pulkovo is preparing for a large-scale expansion with a second phase. Construction may start with the northern gallery adjacent to the main terminal, after which domestic departures will be moved there, and on the site of «Pyati Stakanov» (Five Glasses), a modern terminal for domestic lines will be built. Investments are estimated at 198.9 billion rubles (approximately $2.0 billion at current rates), with funding expected from VEB.RF.
St. Petersburg officials positively evaluated the new logo. Chairman of the Committee for External Relations Evgeny Grigoriev saw in it drawbridges, a runway, and an association with Leningrad. Ivan Skladchikov, head of the Investment Committee, noted the dynamic patterns, and Evgeny Pankevich, chairman of the Tourism Development Committee, instructed to use the logo in all materials related to arrival in the city.
Recall that in 2014, Artemy Lebedev Studio also created a visual brand for St. Petersburg for 1 ruble (about $0.01 at current rates), but it faced criticism and was banned from official use in 2018. Later, the tourism committee ordered a new meta-brand for 7 million rubles (approximately $70,000), which is still in use.
