Design as a tool of trust: the National Centre RUSSIA hosted a discussion on the state’s need for its own visual language

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On 25 September, as part of the VI Federal Forum-Festival "Russian Creative Week", the National Centre RUSSIA hosted the session "Aesthetics, Usability, Meaning. Design for a Competitive State." Representatives of government and the expert community discussed how visual communications are becoming a key instrument for the state to convey values, improve citizen convenience and shape an international image.

In today’s technological era, communication has become primarily visual and therefore design-oriented, which makes quality design important for all stakeholders. The public sector is actively learning to be a competent client, and the volume of design projects is steadily growing. The discussion was moderated by Andrei Melentyev, Head of the Department for State Visual Communications at the National Centre RUSSIA, who set the tone by noting the growing recognition of design’s importance at the highest level.

"Recently Donald Trump published the manifesto 'America by Design'. This was a significant event that drew attention even from those who had never been interested in state design before. It was a powerful incentive for movement, and Russia has something to say here as well — in this sense our country is even slightly ahead of America," said Andrei Melentyev.

He reminded that under the guidance of Presidential Aide Yelena Yampolskaya, the National Centre RUSSIA had established a Council for the development of a new Russian style. 

"Extensive work is now underway to systematise and create a unified visual code for the country — from a family of national fonts to architectural appearance. There is genuine interest here, above all from the state, which is acting not only as a major client but also as the central participant in this process — now more systematised and adapted to changing conditions," added Andrei Melentyev.

In response to the reference to Donald Trump, Vitaly Stavitsky, President of the Union of Designers of Russia, called for a more independent perspective on the industry’s development.

"The Trump case is just a litmus test that triggered a long-standing social demand. But let us not forget that we have our own rich experience — from the Soviet VNIITE Institute, which not only developed documentation but also produced design solutions and concepts, to today’s working groups. Processes have been set in motion, and results are already visible, including at the National Centre RUSSIA," said Vitaly Stavitsky.

A practical perspective on creating state identity in difficult conditions was offered by creative producer Vladislav Los, who developed the identity of the DPR. He outlined the core principles behind it.

"State design is the face of the country, and this face has its own golden ratio, its own basic principles that we must define. We see it this way: the first principle is continuous learning — not only for designers but also for citizens, to whom we explain what identity is. The second is the principle of illogicality. The DPR itself is an illogical phenomenon: in some places there is fighting, in others people are working on identity. We tried to unite these paradoxes in our visuals: the imagery of a miners’ land and our fighters who have spent decades underground extracting coal, the atmosphere of the steppe and slag heaps, the spirit of victory and popular creativity," said Vladislav Los.

Speaking about Saint Petersburg’s participation in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network — a flagship urban programme launched by the organisation in 2004 — Nana Gvichiya, Deputy Chair of the Saint Petersburg Committee for Tourism Development, highlighted the importance of balancing tourist impressions with resident comfort.

"On the one hand, territorial design should be about impressions and emotional experiences for tourists, but on the other, it must also provide comfort for residents. Moreover, it should be created with the direct participation of the residents themselves. This way we build the right image narrative for the city and the region — both domestically and abroad," explained Nana Gvichiya.

Anna Lukanina, Managing Partner of the branding agency Depot and President of the Association of Branding Companies of Russia (ABCR), shared her experience of creating a successful tourism brand. She spoke in detail about the development of the Krasnodar brand with the slogan "Let’s Meet in Krasnodar", which positions the city as a magnet and hub in southern Russia.

In conclusion, Ilya Lazuchenkov, CEO and Managing Partner of the Plenum agency and member of ABCR, urged participants not to fear ambitious challenges. According to him, Russia is already making a product that can be exported, and now the main task is to find a central idea in projects that will help the state improve communication with citizens and strengthen trust — including through design.

The VI Federal Forum-Festival "Russian Creative Week" is a landmark event in the field of the creative economy. It is taking place from 25 to 27 September at the National Centre RUSSIA. The focus is on three strategic areas: the value-oriented economy — 2035, the spatial development of the country and its regions in the era of the new type of economy, and the role of the creative individual in shaping new economic models.

Within the structural blocks dedicated to each vector, participants are discussing legislative initiatives, management models, investment tools, the new ethics of leadership and the transformation of professions. The main event was the plenary session "The State as a Visionary: A New Philosophy of Russia’s Intellectual and Creative Leadership".