Exhibiting IYA - Graphics

The Iovine and Young Exhibition is an annual display of student work, for students, by students. The gridwall, a permanent display of student work in the entrance lobby, was my main contribution. It was incredible to see it come to life.

Me - Graphics Lead

Sophie Shack - Graphics Lead

Richa Krishna - Experience Lead

Roles

Skills

Project Management

Design Thinking

Signage & Wayfinding

Visual Design

Figma

Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Photoshop

Tools

Timeline

Spring 2023

Group photo of the Exhibition Team on the day of the exhibit.
Image of the final grid wall with student work and graphics in place.

HMW

How might we streamline the visitor experience and communicate Academy values pre and post-exhibit?

By identifying key decision points in the visitor journey we designed cohesive, viewer-centric signage and digital displays.

Front of Iovine and Young Hall

Path of visitor entry and navigation flow.

Inside lobby and staircase in IYH
Wide shot of entire lobby in IYH with doodles marking decision points and flow of visitation.
Final gridwall beyond the signage day of exhibit with visitors looking at it.

Project Goals

Visualize IYA Values

Clarify what the Academy teaches and what the students embody.

Create Connections

Foster relationships and conversations between Academy students and visitors.

Efficiency

Clear signage that make the exhibit easy to navigate.

Let’s take a look at the wall graphics first.

Previous Grid Wall

Grid wall before it was redesigned.

What space was I working with?

Iterate, Iterate, Iterate.

Figma document with all of the iterations of the grid wall graphics.

We drew inspiration from the themes and colors that fit the contemporary interiors of the Iovine and Young Hall.

Here are a few highlighted iterations:

(1) Feedback noted that the call to action (top right) along with the short callouts like "we are innovators" were clever and well thought-out. However, there was room for improvements in regards to how the rest of the information was presented, incl

(1) Feedback noted that the call to action (top right) along with the short callouts like "we are innovators" were clever and well thought-out. However, there was room for improvements in regards to how the rest of the information was presented, including the body of text on the left with contrasting words who's message was unclear.

(2) Rework of the hierarchy leads visitors to focus on the details about the "Cohort Experience" primarily above the yellow map of the intersection of disciplines of IYA. After this iteration, we decided to keep the call to action in the top right sq

(2) Rework of the hierarchy leads visitors to focus on the details about the "Cohort Experience" primarily above the yellow map of the intersection of disciplines of IYA. After this iteration, we decided to keep the call to action in the top right square.

(3) This iteration highlights how much students in IYA focus on the process by presenting different bits of information in a sketch/doodle format.

(3) This iteration highlights how much students in IYA focus on the process by presenting different bits of information in a sketch/doodle format.

File of final gridwall graphics.

FINAL WALL GRAPHICS

FINAL WALL GRAPHICS

Final gridwall

With student work in boxes sporadically across the wall, this final design integrates itself with each object while also providing insight into what it is like to be an Academy student. The black sections creates contrast and makes each section more unique and intriguing.

Now for the signage.

Figma of all of the signage iterations.

Iterate, Iterate, Iterate.

Our goal in our signage was to make it clear that the exhibition is spread out between two floors and what events were taking place on each floor.

Here are a few highlighted iterations:

(1) Loved the large letters, 2 floors is unclear

(1) Loved the large letters, 2 floors is unclear

(2) Liked the geometric folds, differentiation of floors remains is unclear

(2) Liked the geometric folds, differentiation of floors remains is unclear

(3) Getting there, still awkward, title and secondary text are too small

(3) Getting there, still awkward, title and secondary text are too small

(4) Good, but where's the title?

(4) Good, but where's the title?

(5) Getting there

(5) Getting there

(6) How can can we visualize the floors?

(6) How can can we visualize the floors?

(7) Better, but too literal

(7) Better, but too literal

Final vertical signage.

FINAL SIGNAGE

FINAL SIGNAGE

Final horizontal signage

Both signs were placed at predetermined decision points during the exhibit.

  • Vertical layout in the lobby preceding the grid wall

  • Horizontal layout outside of the main exhibition rooms on the second floor.

Final vertical signage in the IYH lobby.
Final horizontal signage outside of the main exhibitions.

Takeway

Insight

As the only freshman on the exhibition project, I felt especially grateful to be working directly with upperclassmen in IYA and experiencing live how they work, what skills they use, and what their process looks like for various projects. The pieces of advice that I picked up from each team member are invaluable and have shaped my processes since: notably mind-mapping and (excessive) iteration.

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