Communication Design
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Signals
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Public by Design
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Presented by Cummins Inc.
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Communication Design ● Signals ● Public by Design ● Presented by Cummins Inc. ●
The development of a visual graphic and wayfinding system and print materials for the 2023 Exhibition of Exhibit Columbus, creates the rare opportunity to work within a robust existing brand and design identity that give this cycle an authentic sense of place and identity.
Wayfinding and signage systems rely on the determination and identification of five key elements of a place: Landmarks, nodes, neighborhoods, edges, and pathways. Each element helps orient and defines a hierarchy of information that points to the next installation, and it needs to do so in a manner that is clear, concise, and consistent. The system will, by necessity, exist as a temporal set of signals—set apart from the noisy elements of civic regulation and organization—the help residents and visitors navigate the remarkable set of installations and interventions that encompass this cycle. This work has been done through a public process that culminates in a series of documentary graphics that exist as an evolving statement on what it means to experience the significant parts of Columbus’ legacy during the Exhibit Columbus Exhibition, Public by Design.
How do you find your way around the city?
Public by Design Installation Credits
University Design Research Fellowship
Presented by
Cummins Inc.
Team
Chris Grimley
Materials
Exterior Grade MDF (fiberboard), CINTRA panels, wood connections, metal hinges, glue
Additional Credits
Adam Brand, Hightower Graphics (Indianapolis, Indiana)
ICL Graphics (Boston, Massachusetts)
Curatorial Question
How do you find your way around the city?
Chris Grimley grew up just outside of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, after moving from London, England, at an early age. He said it was a great designed city to grow up in and that it introduced him to the things he loves most: Architecture and graphic design.
He said the iconic CN Tower, the world’s tallest freestanding structure for the duration of his youth, is a work of heroic concrete that remains unrivaled in its immediate iconographic presence. His partner, Kelly, is also a designer. She has an architectural background but is now a product and textile designer who, he says, is obsessed with patterns and shapes.
The couple has two children, Roen, 9, and Mae, 11, and a pet Vizsla named Willow, who is 2 1/2 years old.
This excerpt is from the 2023 Field Guide. Download it here.
Creating Public by Design
2023 Design Presentations
All design is, and should be, a public act. Every decision we make as designers has impact and implications for the public realm, be it how we navigate through space, how we interpret and present our experiences, or how we make information accessible to all. Public by Design should be a mantra—it should be the starting point of any design process.
— Chris Grimley
The first concept and iteration of the 2023 Exhibition map and route by Chris Grimley of SIGNALS, from Boston, Massachusetts.
Communication Design
SIGNALS
Boston, Massachusetts
Chris Grimley has organized, designed, and implemented experiential environments, interiors, master plans, and branding initiatives for clients ranging from small offices to large institutions. He has broad experience in architecture, graphic design, and interior design. Chris is the project director for the office’s graphic design work with institutional and cultural clients such as Harvard, MASS MoCA, MIT, and Vassar College’s Farm and Ecological Preserve.
Existing work by SIGNALS
OverUnder worked with the City of Chicopee to reconfigure the image of its downtown. This effort includes a sustained public engagement process (both before and during the pandemic), graphic identity, signage/wayfinding, and placemaking.
When the winds of autumn blow through Boston, they bring with them a fairy dust that enchants the world around us. Franklin Park has been transformed into a playground for magical creatures. From when the leaves begin to change color until the first frost, park visitors can see traces of magic as small as a dew drop to as large as a giant’s footprint. Can you find the clues they leave behind in Franklin Park?
MASS MoCA is the largest contemporary art museum in the United States, housed on a vast seventeen-acre industrial campus. Commissioned by the museum’s leadership, OverUnder developed a series of graphic elements that help the public navigate a complex, memorable place.