Why did the VU choose a griffin?
'In 1989, VU wanted to introduce a single, recognizable logo for the entire university for the first time; until then, all sorts of logos and styles had coexisted. They also considered whether the historic university seal, the ‘maiden in the garden,’ could be modernized, but ultimately a new symbol was chosen. The seal, however, remained in use and still appears on diplomas.
The griffioen has the body of a lion, the head and wings of an eagle, and the ears of a horse. It has appeared in mythology and iconography for more than five thousand years. Precisely because it is a composite creature, it was deemed suitable for a multifaceted university. And it had no fixed meaning. That was seen as a strength.'
Why did that happen in the late 1980s?
“During that period, universities had to compete increasingly for students and resources, and within VU there was a feeling that the university lacked sufficient brand recognition. A committee was formed, and the design firm BRS Premsela Vonk was commissioned to develop a corporate identity. As a result, the griffioen was more than just a new logo. For the first time, people at VU were talking about something like a corporate identity. That year was a turning point.”
What is the meaning behind the design?
‘It’s multi-layered. The body has a classical form, the head a more mathematical character, and the wings a free, sketchy form. This refers to the humanities, sciences, and social sciences that together make up the university. The wings symbolize freedom and imagination. The griffioen looks not only forward but also backward. This was interpreted as curiosity about and appreciation for its own tradition. In mythology, it brings opposites together anyway: strength and wisdom, earth and air. But those values were never set in stone.’
And yet it never acquired a single official meaning.
'Interestingly enough, that was never the intention. The goal was to create a symbol that invited ‘deciphering’; everyone was free to recognize their own story in it. University President Harry Brinkman did offer his own interpretation in the introductory brochure. For him, the griffioen represented the very nature of science itself: it arises not from linearity, but from curiosity, ambiguity, and the bringing together of perspectives. At VU, that also applied to faith and science.’
Has the meaning evolved since then?
'Certainly. At first, it was mainly about recognizability. In the 1990s, VU was presented in campaigns as “a university with wings and feet”: idealistic yet practical, free yet socially engaged. That fits the mythical creature itself, which has taken on new meanings throughout the centuries. From a mythical predator to a guardian of treasures, a symbol of wisdom, and ultimately of science.’
Is it still a fitting symbol?
‘It took a while for “the VU chicken,” as it was sometimes irreverently called, to establish itself. In 1989, some felt that VU was trading its historical symbolism for marketing; when it was introduced, an obituary for the old maiden in the garden was even circulated. Others, however, saw it as a contemporary interpretation of tradition.
In hindsight, it’s striking that the logo has endured for over 35 years. It seems that it continues to inspire precisely because it doesn’t have a rigidly defined meaning. Moreover, it has since become more than just a logo: since 1993, a meter-tall blue griffin has adorned the Main Building. For anyone driving along the Ring Zuid or leaving Zuid Station, that blue bird is simply VU. It was introduced to make VU recognizable. That seems to have worked, and it has now become part of the university’s history itself.’
