Ann Arbor Flag Finalists
The City of Ann Arbor, after tapping the inspiration and skill of Ann Arbor residents, is pleased to
share the five finalists for the Ann Arbor Flag contest.
This effort to design a new city flag is meant to encourage joy and civic pride in the community and was open to city residents of all ages, eliciting hundreds of design proposals.
The public is now encouraged to review the designs and provide input on which is their favorite. The period for
public input will run from Tuesday, May 28 through Friday, June 28, 2024. This input will be used by the Ann Arbor Flag committee as part of it's decision making on which design to move forward to city council.
Chris Anderson
Dennis Scherdt
Steve Oney
William Burgard
Winnie Ip
*Click on image for larger version. The
public input survey is open May 28 - Friday, June 28, 2024.
Artist statements
Chris Anderson
Ann Arbor's central tree, based on the design of the Ann Arbor seal. The upper band is a clear blue sky, symbolizing Ann Arbor's perseverance, our residents know it only takes patience for the weather to change. At the foot of the central tree is an open book showcasing Ann Arbor's passion for learning and growth. The trunk and roots are brown symbolizing the warmth of the big little town. Surrounding the roots is a green field denoting Ann Arbor's prosperity and lush future. Together it calls to mind a common A2 troupe sitting under one of our great trees and enjoying a good book close to sunset.
Dennis Scherdt
This flag design highlights Ann Arbor's many parks, trees, and the Huron River with its blue and green colors. The central tree symbolizes growth, community, and environmental commitment, paying homage to the original Ann Arbor seal.
Steve Oney
The diagonal blue stripe represents the Huron River, which runs through Ann Arbor from the northwest to the southeast. The Huron River is an integral part of our city's landscape and has historically been important for commerce, recreation and our overall identity.
The surrounding green represents the green spaces, parks and commitment to the environment that Ann Arbor values.
The central oak leaves are a nod to the Burr Oak tree, which has historically been a central symbol of Ann Arbor and represented on the city seal. The oak is also a strong and enduring tree, which symbolizes the city's resilience and growth over time. The acorn signifies the promise of a new beginning, regeneration, and our city's continuous evolution towards a brighter future.
The base color of white is a nod to the primary color of Ann Arbor's historical flag and represents unity and peace. It also serves as a neutral backdrop that highlights the other elements, ensuring that the symbols and their meanings remain front and center.
William Burgard
This design comes as a reference to Ann Arbor's past as a free living, peace loving community which I believe we still are. It has a simple graphic approach that evokes that time while appearing contemporary simultaneously.
Winnie Ip
Quintessential to my original design is the celebration of nature's blanket of green made possible through the rays of a seasonal sun. A rising and setting sun symbolize the energy and vitality of a new dawn and the quiet harmony and warmth of a golden evening.
The iconic oak tree is front and center of this design. The oak tree is a well-known symbol of Ann Arbor, reflecting our growth, our deep roots, and our desire for a sustainable future.
The three stripes of gold build upon each other representing the rising Sun to the east and a gentle sunset in the west, the variation and striped thickness help the dynamic movement of the sun.
Lastly, the green color is purposeful as a color as a dominant color in nature and illicit feelings of renewal, growth, comfort, energy, and peace.
____________________________________________________________________________
The Ann Arbor's flag competition is intended create a new design that will become a permanent fixture of the community, flying over Larcom City Hall and other City facilities.
A panel of judges, led by Mayor Christopher Taylor, will select the finalists. Finalist entries will be displayed online and at Larcom City Hall for community input following submission deadline. The panel will consider this community input when selecting a winning design, which will be announced in 2024.
Design and judging guidelines
Flag designs should be:
-
simple enough that it could be drawn from memory
-
have meaningful symbolism,
-
use only two or three basic colors,
-
have no lettering or seals, and
-
be distinct and avoid duplicating other flags.
