Pentagram created a comprehensive program of wayfinding and environmental graphics for the temporary PATH station at the former site of the World Trade Center. The station is designed as a stopgap until the new transportation center is completed in 2008. Because the station was deliberately designed to be temporary, the architecture is expeditious, open-air, and impermanent. The building is not air conditioned or heated, and looks directly into the Ground Zero site.
A celebration of the act of human communication and linguistic and cultural diversity, Voices was one of the main features of an international exposition. The exhibit aimed to draw attention to the conditions of liberty that are a foundation for the necessary dialogue among cultures. The exhibition needed to present two contradictory views: cultural diversity as a heritage we must preserve and communication as essential in an increasingly interdependent world.
Ralph Applebaum Associates, Mona Kim Projects (creative direction of graphics and AV)
Wave Hill is a public garden and cultural center in the Bronx dedicated to exploring the interaction between people and the natural environment. Pentagram created a logotype consisting of the intertwined letters W and H. The new identity includes four versions of the Wave Hill logo in a palette of seasonal colors that are used in the center's printed promotions and newsletters. The logo is placed at the lower edge of all applications like a plant growing from the ground. The intimately scaled garden affords spectacular views of the Hudson River and the New Jersey Palisades.
This designer wanted to create a unique restaurant that will bring happiness and satisfaction to customers. The process of fusion is significant not only in the dining environment, but also in the fusion of Eastern and Western cuisine. This awareness will bring the dining experience to a new level of excellence. The fusion of culinary art and design involves the combination of a variety of concepts, including culinary art, graphic design, and environmental design.
Scrabble on the Cincinnati Skyline is an interactive experience that utilizes Cincinnati's horizon as a backdrop for a visual game. The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center becomes the axis point for this experience, which then weaves itself through the surrounding riverfront area.
Mike Ruehlman, University of Cincinnati College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning
Big & Green: Towards Sustainable Architecture in the 21st Century
Pure + Applied & James Hicks created an exhibition featuring design strategies in the environmental movement of architecture since the 1960s. The emphasis is on large-scale structures (from Conde Nast skyscraper in NYC to Eastgate building in Zimbabwe) with an international scope. The framework for discussion of the 50 projects comes from the five "green" categories: energy; light and air; greenery, water, and waste; construction; and urbanism.
The project's success is a result of an integrated design effort. International-type icons are employed on the directional signage to designate building functions such as restrooms, conference rooms, and cafes. Color-coding is used in conjunction with the icons, which corresponds to walls painted the same color in each conference or service area. A naming system is developed for the conference rooms with the entire building plan keyed to a world map; city names are assigned to rooms based on their coordinates on the globe.
For a commission, DropShop manages the customer experience around an eBay auction, from photography through shipping. The overall objective is a retail presence that communicates the startup company's function and identity, while making a strong dramatic statement. All aspects of the design program, including website, architecture, corporate identity, etc., work holistically to establish a strong brand. The identity, graphics, and color palette are simple, clear, and bright. This communicates a friendly, non-intimidating, yet compelling message.
Dynamap reveals three layers of imagery - street grid, neighborhood delineations, and subway map - depending on how the map is viewed. By changing the angle of viewing, three different thematic layers can be seen. It is lightweight, flexible, durable, and contains no electronics. Maps of urban areas are continually referenced and generally contain an overwhelming amount of data, rendering them difficult to use. This map supports wayfinding in areas where complicated spatial relationships exist.
This system of environmental graphics serves not only as wayfinding devices but also communicates the library's visual identity. A combination of dynamic and controlled elements was designed and placed to identify, direct, punctuate, and complement the architectural statement. Identification of the library's various sections, open spaces, and rooms was achieved through the use of large fabricated numerals juxtaposed in various architectural elements.
