Semyonkovo is an open-air architectural and ethnographic museum located in Vologda, Russia. Unlike traditional museums, it doesn’t place historical objects behind glass. Instead, it offers a vivid, living experience of 19th-century rural Russia  with functioning wooden houses, workshops, and the preserved rhythm of village life. Semyonkovo is not just a collection of old buildings; it’s a place where the past breathes and everyday traditions continue to shape the present.
The identity I developed is based on the metaphor of the imprint of history. In Semyonkovo, visitors don’t just learn about the past  they feel it. They walk on the same wooden floors, breathe the same air, and see the marks left by time and use. This direct connection to history became the starting point for the visual concept.
To express this idea, I used sponge printing  a technique that captures texture, imperfection, and materiality. I created hand-printed images of actual buildings from the museum’s collection. These prints  rough, tactile, and full of character  became the foundation of the graphic language. Each shape is recognizable yet abstracted, allowing space for interpretation while remaining deeply rooted in reality.
The resulting identity speaks to the emotional experience of visiting Semyonkovo. It communicates the warmth of the Russian countryside, the quiet dignity of old wood, and the human presence embedded in every detail. Rather than portraying history as something distant, the brand invites people to come closer — to touch, to see, and to carry its imprint with them.