De La Warr Pavilion unveils special 90th Anniversary logo created by pioneering American designer Tom Geismar
The De La Warr Pavilion is proud to announce the unveiling of a special logo to mark its 90th anniversary in 2025, created by internationally acclaimed designer Tom Geismar, celebrated for his pioneering work in the field of graphic design.
The commission has a special connection to the Pavilion’s history: Tom Geismar was creative partner of Ivan Chermayeff, the son of Serge Chermayeff, who, together with Erich Mendelsohn, designed the modernist De La Warr Pavilion in 1935. This link between past and present makes the new anniversary logo especially meaningful as the Pavilion approaches its centenary with plans for physical and organisational transformation underway.
Born in 1932, the same year the Pavilion competition was announced, Ivan Chermayeff later created the logo for its 80th anniversary. He passed away in 2017, but his work continues to inspire designers around the world. His long-time collaborator, Tom Geismar, also born in the 1930s and a pioneering force on Madison Avenue in the 1950s and ’60s, remains a remarkable presence in the design industry. Now 94, Tom is still practising in New York, a living testament to a lifetime of creativity, innovation, and dedication to his craft. Together they created identities for many high-level American cultural institutions; MOMA, The Smithsonian, National Geographic, NBC, The Library Congress and many more.
Geismar’s sleek and streamlined design captures the Pavilion’s modernist spirit while offering a fresh, contemporary emblem for its next chapter. The anniversary logo will feature prominently across the Pavilion’s celebratory programme and products.
“It was a pleasure to do this for the De La Warr Pavilion. The Chermayeff family have been so influential in my life and the pavilion in its physical manifestation reflects to me the bold, clear and creative design approach of Serge, Ivan and Peter. A remarkable family.”
– Tom Geismar, Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv
The unveiling of the logo marks the beginning of a year-long celebration that will bring together audiences, artists, and communities to reflect on and celebrate 90 years of innovation, architecture, and culture at the De La Warr Pavilion.
For more information about the Pavilion’s programme, visit What’s On.
For more information about Tom Geismar visit cghnyc.com.
Posted by Cassandra Ash on Wednesday 12 November 2025