THREE finalists have been chosen out of more than 2,000 entries in the competition to create the 2011 Shenzhen Universiade logo, Chinese media reported yesterday.
“Happy U,” a wide-open “U” logo formed of colorful dots, emerged as the favorite. The other two are “Drip,” a “U” made of vivid drips, and “City of Wonders,” a “U” logo suggesting the skyscrapers that characterize Shenzhen.
The three entries stood out from 11 winners selected in the second round, which took a seven-member panel three months to shortlist.
Three designers on the panel, Zhao Jian from the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, Hang Hai from the China Central Academy of Fine Arts, and Wang Luxiang from Phoenix TV, unanimously favored the “Happy U” as the games logo.
“‘City of Wonders’ introduces images of skyscrapers and gives the impression of soaring into the sky. It reflects the city’s high-speed growth and the widely accepted concept of Shenzhen’s miraculous creation. The color blue implies air, water and life,” Wang explained at a lecture Saturday.
“Drip,” which features motion, is associated with the passion and dreams of youth. A gradual change in the blue shade also implies that Shenzhen is embracing changes for a better future, he said.
“But I personally like the ‘Happy U’ best. Compared with the other two — which bear the obvious mark of the industrialized era — it is more open, encompassing more information and imaginative. The colorful dots can offer so many different explanations, reflecting the boundless possibilities and vigor of the city.”
“Happy U” has also won the hearts of many university students. “It can be the symbol of university, you, union, and universe. It also simulates the harbors which surround Shenzhen,” a student said.
However not everyone agrees. A white-collar worker surnamed Wang said she did not like any of them. “None of them has a direct reference to Shenzhen. In my opinion, the logo should be simple, and show people immediately that Shenzhen sponsors the games,” she said. (Li Dan)