Washington Square Park holds a singular place in the life of New York City. Located in the heart of Greenwich Village, it has, for generations, served as one of the city’s most vibrant civic spaces—a setting where New Yorkers come to relax, perform, protest, celebrate, and express themselves. 

Pentagram has designed a new identity for the Washington Square Park Conservancy that captures the park’s joyous, open, and unmistakable spirit. Formed in 2012 by local leaders, the Conservancy was established to address the park’s ongoing operational needs and steward its 9.75 acres of lawns, gardens, and public grounds, which welcome more than 12 million visitors each year. Working alongside NYC Parks, it helps fund staff, support daily operations, and bring cultural programming to one of New York City’s most beloved public spaces.

The new identity coincides with a pivotal moment for the organization. In 2025, the Conservancy signed a license agreement with NYC Parks, formalizing its role as the official nonprofit partner of Washington Square Park and positioning it alongside peer institutions such as Central Park Conservancy, Madison Square Park Conservancy, Hudson River Park Trust, and Friends of the High Line.

Washington Square Park is unlike any other public space in the city, and the identity reflects that distinct character. Joyful, colorful, and expressive, the system sets the park apart from New York’s other green spaces with a visual language as dynamic and idiosyncratic as the life it contains.

Centered on the iconic arch, the identity is animated by a lively series of illustrations that captures the many ways people inhabit the space—from chess players, dog walkers, and pétanque matches to the Fountain Plaza, the dog run, the Play Hills, and “the beach,” the park’s sunbathing lawn. Together, these elements create a flexible placemaking system that carries across wayfinding, signage, banners, and a new mobile welcome cart.

A goal of the identity is to better serve and connect the community by making the park’s features, amenities, and programs easier to discover. This extends to a new website, designed in collaboration with WeShouldDoItAll, that combines utility with storytelling. Alongside practical information about the park’s programs and initiatives, the site incorporates archival imagery and editorial content that foreground Washington Square Park’s cultural legacy as a gathering place for artists, activists, and public life. 

“WSP is a place for everyone, and we are proud to launch a brand and website that reflects that,” said Will Morrison, Executive Director of the WSPC and NYC Parks Administrator of WSP. “Our new brand will support the work we do every day in WSP and connect this vital park partner organization tangibly to the space it serves.”

“WSP has long stood as one of New York City’s most iconic gathering places––where culture, community, and creativity come together in a truly unique way,” said NYC Parks Interim Manhattan Borough Commissioner Ralph Musolino. “This new brand identity and website reflect the energy and inclusivity that define the park, while strengthening the Conservancy’s ability to connect with New Yorkers, support critical on-the-ground operations, and ensure this beloved public space continues to thrive for generations to come.”