Blending Tech & Music: RUBYCONF. AT
A visual identity for RubyConf Austria that merged Vienna's musical heritage with the Ruby developer community.
Scope>
Visual identity for the conference.
Project overview
This was my second time working with the same client, so it felt more familiar and easier to pick things up from where we left off. For RubyConf Austria, the initial creative direction centered around bringing together two worlds: music and technology. The conference took place at Das MuTh theatre in Vienna, and the organizers wanted to celebrate the city's rich musical heritage by incorporating live piano and jazz performances throughout the event. As the project evolved, the concept became even more meaningful. We discovered that many attendees were musicians themselves or had a personal connection to music, making the theme feel authentic rather than purely visual. This shared passion helped shape an identity that reflected both the technical community and the creative spirit of the conference.
The challenge
Project started with exploration of several logo concepts, though the piano-inspired direction immediately resonated with the client. The final mark combines the silhouette of a piano with the iconic Ruby gem, tying together the conference's themes of music and technology. The identity was supported by a minimal color palette, editorial-inspired typography, and a small set of visual elements designed for consistency across digital touchpoints. Once the core system was established, I applied it across social media, merchandise, accreditation badges, lanyards, and a custom passport stamp. As collecting stamps in Ruby Community Passports is a long-standing conference tradition, creating a unique stamp became a small but memorable way to connect the identity with the community itself. I also designed the initial website concept and overall visual direction. The site was later developed and maintained by the client, with some design adjustments made during implementation, so the live version differs slightly from my original proposal.
The Results
The result was an identity that reflected both the technical nature of the conference and Vienna's musical influence, creating a memorable experience for attendees before, during, and after the event. It was incredibly rewarding to see attendees embrace the concept and respond so positively to the visual identity.
Ready to build something cool?
Contact me at hello@zehriich.com