The Polar Universiade ’70 was the official emblem of the 6th Winter Universiade, held in Rovaniemi, Finland, from 3 to 9 April 1970. The event was dubbed the “Polar Universiade” because Rovaniemi sits close to the Arctic Circle, and it remains the only Universiade, Winter or Summer, ever held in Lapland. [1]
Design and History
The 1970 Winter Universiade was the first FISU event to reach Scandinavia. Local organisers distributed events across Rovaniemi, Pyhätunturi and Tampere, with the Nordic combined and figure skating in Rovaniemi, Alpine skiing in Pyhätunturi, and ice hockey in Tampere. [1]
In Finland, the games were also referred to as “Polar Universiadit.” [2] The emblem itself is a clean, geometric mark that reflects the arctic setting of the host city. The visual identity was created in 1968 by a team of Finnish designers, including Jukka Veistola, who began his career at SOK’s advertising department after graduating from Ateneum in 1969. [3]
Veistola was a prolific graphic designer recognised for his posters, logos and packaging work. [4] The design team also included Tapio Korpisaari, an architect and graphic artist who died in 1997 at age 51. [5]
Meaning and Symbolism
The emblem’s geometric forms evoke the clarity of Nordic design while referencing both athletic movement and the polar environment of the host region. The “Polar” name itself derives from Rovaniemi’s location near the Arctic Circle, where the Games were opened in the traditions of the official hometown of Santa Claus. [6]
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