Graphics In Spaces by Joseph Haigh // Designer's Perspective
So much of what we do at NoChintz is about transforming spaces. Our Interior Designers work hard to create characterful environments through layouts and materials expressed in furniture, finishes, lighting (and a myriad of other careful details) all working in harmony to create a certain feeling or mood. As a Graphic Designer this presents an interesting challenge. How should graphics work in an environment already so elegantly defined? Should they be bold and brash or should they calmly compliment the interior choices?
Environmental Graphic Design is not a new discipline, being as old as design itself, but it is now recognised as a profession in its own right. It’s certainly not the only graphic work we do in the studio, but it is without doubt the most varied, potentially encompassing any graphic process you can imagine.
If you want to see environmental graphics done really well then look no further than the masters of the craft at Pentagram. Since their inception Pentagram have been pushing the boundaries of experimental signage and wayfinding and last year we were lucky enough to see Paula Scher (Pentagram Partner) talk at the Design Mcr conference. It was pretty special to hear her describe the thinking behind some major projects such as the now famous Public Theatre in New York and New Jersey Performing Arts Centre.
Both of these projects are great examples of the power of graphics to define a place. When we think of ‘Public’, it’s not the building or the space that we remember, but the bold graphic identity. This is exactly the intention; The space itself forms a beautiful, yet fairly neutral, backdrop.
However, being bold is not always the appropriate choice. Take the recent Pentagram identity for the Bibliothéque Nationale, Luxembourg for example. Here an entirely different conceptual approach uses the architecture of the space itself as the inspiration for the graphic treatment. All signage and wayfinding is designed to exist sympathetically alongside interiors, with a neutral colour palette and carefully chosen materials. An ingenious modular system of cube shapes allows signage to be adaptable, whilst referencing forms found in the space.
These two examples neatly illustrate the everyday challenges facing our graphics team in the studio and how we balance graphics with environments. We’ve navigated this on a number of projects, notably the recently announced Leonardo Hotel. Here we have taken a restrained approach, lead by the materiality of the building itself. As with Bibliothéque Nationale, the Leonardo Hotel’s architecture is extremely distinctive and we’ve allowed this to inspire our signage system. A series of wooden blocks will hold information and these can be stacked to create forms that directly reference the silhouette of the building. The experience of visitors to the hotel is designed to be calming and relaxed, and this is reflected in our design. Additional signage will be of protruding cut metal pieces and further wood tones creating a tactile material layer throughout the space that, whilst remaining visible, feels ‘at one’ with the interior choices.
So, about that opening question; bold or calm? Well, simply put, the answer should always be decided by the needs of the space. To see our future and past graphic approaches keep an eye on our socials and website.
Words by
Joseph Haigh, Graphic Designer