Grinnell College
Environmental Exhibit Design
Illustration Panels | Donor Recognition | Wayfinding & Signage
When Grinnell College decided to build a new Humanities and Social Sciences Center on their campus, they looked to ZEBRADOG to create an impactful and meaningful way to welcome students and celebrate the amazing studies within the halls. Collaborating with faculty and administration, the team created a series of bold graphics to represent the many departments and welcome students to the new building. Additionally, a unique donor exhibit recognizes the sponsors, alumni, and benefactors who made the building possible, featuring individual stories and historic elements.
Coloring the halls with Stories
Collaborated with an associate designer, we created a series of six illustrations to represent the educational departments on each floor. Drawing on content provided by the college, each design weaves together inspiration, concepts, theories, and histories into colorful panels to help students navigate the halls of the new HSSC building. A wayfinding system provides additional directions for visitors and students.
In the Global Studies wing, pieces from each of the illustrations were brought together in a vibrant patchwork. Destined for an existing cove, the placement of this panel presented an opportunity for considering a tactile experience. The illustration was printed double-sided on a series of rotating panels to create a dimensional, ever-changing piece of art.
Recognizing the greater Collegiate Family
In addition to welcoming students, Grinnell wished to celebrate their history and thank the wonderful benefactors and alumni that support the college every year. Historic mailboxes that once lived in the basement of the now renovated building create a one-of-a-kind experience where visitors and alumni alike are invited to interact and learn what makes Grinnell, and the college’s supporters, so incredibly unique. Each mailbox is individually lit and displays a photograph and story of the alum or benefactor who helped make HSSC a possibility. Furthermore, visitors are invited to share their own stories about Grinnell through a custom postcard mail drop within the exhibit.
