Varuhuset Gyllen was a Swedish department store that opened in Linköping in 1969, forming a new commercial center around Lilla torget together with the Domus establishment.[1] The building itself was constructed in 1968 and designed by architect Gustaf Kaunitz.[2] The property, known locally as Gyllen, still stands today and is operated as Galleria Gyllen, though scaled down in size and offerings.[3]
Design and History
The Varuhuset Gyllen symbol was designed in 1969 by Ove Engström, a graphic designer based in Linköping who ran Studio Ove Engström Design.[4][4] The mark is documented in the reference work “Top Symbols and Trademarks of the World,” which lists the design as a joint effort by Ove Engström and Siv Lundkvist.[4] Engström was born in 1931 in Linköping and was a member of SAFET, the Swedish association for professional graphic designers.[4]
The logo is categorized among circle, abstract, square, and wave designs, with sun and water motifs.[4] Beyond this formal classification, no documented description of the mark’s specific visual elements or intended symbolism has been located in available sources.
Meaning and Symbolism
The name Gyllen derives from the Swedish word “gyllen,” meaning golden, and the building became so associated with the store that Lilla torget came to be known colloquially as Gyllentorget.[5] The square retains this nickname today, referencing both the former department store and a café of the same name that stood at the square.[5]
No documented explanation of the logo’s design intent, color palette, or typographic choices has been found in the available research. The mark’s classification as an abstract circular design with wave, sun, and water elements is the extent of what can be verified from published sources.[4]
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