Huntington–USC Institute On California And The West

Polymode designed the Huntington–USC Institute on California and the West’s (ICW) 20th-anniversary publication reflecting on two decades of art and scholarship. A bold design with a typographic and archival focus, this publication mirrors the Institute’s expansive scope on scholarship, civic engagement, and environmental justice across the western part of the United States. To evoke urgency and immediacy, we used bold red headlines and full-bleed spreads in reimagined and fresh tones of yellow and red–referencing the USC brand and identity– to create a visual throughline across sections. Platak Grotesk, a quirky typeface inspired by old posters, street signs, and newspapers, was used to reference the archival quality and focus on research, while Polymode Sans was used for legibility, accessibility, and visual texture.

The cover juxtaposes red type with a black and white archival landscape photo to ground the publication in place and history. The table of contents was designed with energy and clarity. The interior spreads layer imagery and large pull quotes that celebrate institutional impact and highlight their voices and scholarship. The publication honors two decades of expansive, intersectional inquiry that feels both commemorative and forward-looking.