CAM – Centro de Arte Moderna Gulbenkian houses one of the world’s most significant collections of modern and contemporary Portuguese art, presented in dialogue with works by leading international artists.
Our new identity for CAM coincided with the re-opening of the museum in Lisbon during September 2024, expanding across a full scheme that includes printed and digital communications, a website refresh, merchandise, launch campaign and exhibition graphics.
Lisbon, Portugal, 2024–26
Identity, Campaign, Exhibition, Merchandise
CAM’s new identity centres around a bespoke new logotype that echoes the thinking behind its dynamic programme, as well as Kengo Kuma’s striking new architectural intervention to the original building conceived by British architect Sir Leslie Martin.
The letter A within the CAM logotype echoes the curved, canopy-like forms of the new building. The architecture is inspired by the concept of 'engawa', a principle common in Japanese buildings that connects interior and exterior spaces. This idea captures the connection between the museum and its gardens, and between the institution and the wider city.
‘For CAM's next chapter, design studio A Practice for Everyday Life has developed its new visual identity, inspired by the organic lines and sheltering nature of the Engawa and the building’
ArchDaily →
The striking canopy creates a seamless transition between architecture and nature. © Kengo Kuma & Associates
The flexibility of the graphic scheme is evident across the museum’s new printed and digital communications. Large letterforms are superimposed over smaller text and combined with a bright colour palette, imbuing CAM’s re-opening campaigns with a sense of liveliness.
Throughout the project, we worked closely with CAM’s team to consider how new audiences might be encouraged to engage with the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. Positioned at the entrance to the Foundation’s gardens from the city, CAM’s location supports its role as a place for cultural exchange between artistic practice and public life.
‘APFEL has made a name for itself through a subtle yet confident aesthetic; working with some of the biggest and most forward-thinking arts institutions around.’
Elephant
Extending CAM’s identity for a restaurant rooted in locality and seasonality
A mesa do CAM is the on-site restaurant at Centro de Arte Moderna. Helmed by André Magalhães, the menu focuses on seasonal produce and close collaboration with local suppliers. The name, CAM’s Table, refers to the central table designed by the museum’s architect Kengo Kuma, with a modular form that adapts to different dining experiences.
The visual identity reflects the restaurant’s values of seasonality and camaraderie. A handwritten lock-up paired with the geometric CAM logotype introduces an organic dimension, while a serif typeface gives the restaurant a distinct voice across materials including signage and menus.
Architecture: Kengo Kuma & Associates
Landscape architecture: Vladimir Djurovic
Photography: Sanda Vučković, Fernando Guerra
‘The studio’s work is consistently brilliant, and their approach to CAM was no exception. They resolved a tricky brief: expressing the energy of CAM within the wider and more traditional Gulbenkian brand. CAM’s new identity reconciles both with ease, elegance, and dynamism.’
Ana Botella, Deputy Director CAM – Centro de Arte Moderna Gulbenkian, Lisbon
