Summer Olympic Games Logos
The 2028 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXXIV Olympiad, will be held in Los Angeles, California, from July 14 to 30, 2028. Los Angeles was awarded the Games in 2017 as part of a dual-award decision in which Paris received 2024 and LA received 2028. It will be the third time Los Angeles hosts the Summer Olympics, following 1932 and 1984.
The LA28 emblem is built around the letter “A” in “LA28,” which changes form depending on context. The concept, developed with the creative community of Los Angeles, replaces the static “A” with a rotating series of designs created by athletes, artists, and cultural figures. Each contributor creates their own version of the “A,” making the emblem a dynamic, ever-changing identity rather than a fixed logo. The “L,” “2,” and “8” remain constant in a bold, geometric sans-serif, while the “A” becomes a canvas for individual expression. The approach reflects Los Angeles as a city defined by creativity, diversity, and entertainment.
Meaning and Symbolism
- Variable “A”: The changeable letter represents the diversity and creativity of Los Angeles. Each version of the “A” is designed by a different person, making the emblem a collective work rather than a single designer’s vision.
- Bold, geometric letterforms: The fixed characters “L,” “2,” and “8” are set in a heavy, confident sans-serif that provides stability around the variable element. The weight and geometry communicate the scale and ambition of the Games.
- Community authorship: By inviting athletes, artists, and cultural figures to contribute “A” designs, the LA28 brand positions the Olympics as a participatory event rather than a top-down production. This approach is unprecedented in Olympic branding.
- Los Angeles identity: The concept is inherently Angeleno. LA is a city of creators, a place where entertainment, art, technology, and athletics converge. A logo designed by many people rather than one agency reflects that culture.
Design and History
The LA28 visual identity was unveiled in September 2020 with an initial set of “A” designs contributed by athletes and artists. The concept was developed by the LA28 organizing committee in collaboration with the Los Angeles creative community. Rather than commissioning a single agency to produce a fixed emblem, the committee built a system where the “A” could be continuously refreshed.
The initial contributors included athletes like Billie Jean King and Alex Morgan, artists, designers, and community figures from across Los Angeles. Each “A” reflects the creator’s personality and background: some are illustrative, some are typographic, some are photographic, some are abstract. The only constraint is that the design must fit within the “A” shape and work alongside the fixed “L28” characters.
This is the first Olympic emblem designed as a system rather than a single mark. Previous Games have occasionally introduced secondary graphics or pattern elements, but the primary emblem has always been a fixed design. LA28 breaks that convention by making variability the core concept. The approach has parallels in contemporary brand design, where companies like Google (with its doodles) and MTV (with its variable logo) have demonstrated that a dynamic identity can be more engaging than a static one.
The fixed elements of the identity, the “L,” “2,” and “8,” are rendered in a custom geometric sans-serif with clean, bold strokes. The characters are slightly condensed and have a distinctly American quality: confident, direct, and modern. They provide the structural consistency that allows the “A” to change without the overall mark losing coherence.
Typography
The fixed characters in the LA28 emblem use a custom geometric sans-serif typeface with heavy stroke weight and minimal contrast. The letterforms are clean and contemporary, designed to work across digital and physical applications at any scale. For broader communications, the LA28 brand system uses typefaces that complement the emblem’s bold, modern character while accommodating the diversity of the variable “A” designs.
FAQ
Q: Why does the LA28 logo keep changing?
A: The “A” in “LA28” is designed as a variable element. Different athletes, artists, and cultural figures contribute their own “A” designs, making the emblem a dynamic, ever-changing identity that reflects Los Angeles’ creative diversity.
Q: How many times has LA hosted the Olympics?
A: The 2028 Games will be the third time. Los Angeles hosted the Summer Olympics in 1932 and 1984. The 1984 Games were notable for being privately funded and generating a significant financial surplus.
Q: Who designed the LA28 emblem?
A: The identity system was developed by the LA28 organizing committee in collaboration with the Los Angeles creative community. The variable “A” designs are contributed by a rotating cast of athletes, artists, and cultural figures.
The LA28 emblem and Olympic rings are trademarks of the International Olympic Committee. This page is for educational and reference purposes only.
More logos with similar colors
