Project Overview

The ‘Now and When: Australian Urbanism’ exhibition at the 2010 Venice Architecture Biennale explored the current conditions and possible future scenarios of Australian Urbanism.

The exhibition highlighted a national and international concern: how we best manage cities and their future growth. The exhibition was created using groundbreaking 3D technology in projected photography and computer-generated simulations. It was presented in two parts: Now, a 3D photographic study from a helicopter of the existing Australian urban condition, and When, a 3D speculation into the evolution of this unique continent’s cities in the future.

Design By Pidgeon (DBP) were responsible for the exhibition's branding and overall design, signage and publication design.

Project Commissioner

Australian Institute of Architects

Project Creator

Design By Pidgeon

Team

Creative Director – David Pidgeon
Designer – Alex Ward
Project Manager – Sabrina Munafo

Project Brief

The premise of the exhibition was the exploration of specific themes from multiple perspectives – the inversion/extrusion of the Australian landscape (Now), to the future conditions of Australian Urbanism (When).

Through an immersive representation of 3D stereoscopic imagery – the process of engagement offered an experience that altered your perspective of the theme, and the perception of the space. The challenge was to transport a similar experience through the diverse range of design outcomes associated with it.

2D, stereoscopic, scanimation, lenticular, video, web and 3D type – from external signage to catalogue design – different methods were employed, ensuring a continuity of form, but a diversity of experience.

Each potential outcome offering a unique and memorable experience; removing the catalogue dust jacket reveals a 'scanimation' of rotating type; visitors to the pavilion were able to engage with the typography in a similar manner to the 3D projections – moving around and engaging with the objects to create clarity from chaos.

Project Need

In response to the exhibition theme and concept, 3D custom typography was specifically designed to became the branding for the event.

This typography was then built into actual 3D glowing signage elements and dotted throughout the different areas of the exhibition space, to reinforce the 3D nature of the exhibition, but also to highlight the exhibition theme of built up form.

This 3D typography also featured on the catalogue cover, which used scanimatic technology to create a rotating ‘N’ and ‘W’ graphic on the two sided publication.

The custom typography designed for the exhibition enhanced the idea of distorting the senses and seeing things from a new perspective.

Design Challenge

The main design challenge was the planning, engineering and organisation involved in transforming the typography design into successful built forms for the exhibition signage.

DBP worked very closely with industrial designer, Dean Homicki, to figure out specifics such as dimensions, materials, locking devices and hanging capabilities. This was a comprehensive process that involved many prototypes and samples, until all details were perfect. Dulux also came on board as a sponsor and created a custom fluorescent orange paint that enabled the signage to glow in the dark under the UV lighting, really bringing the typography design to life.

Because the signage was modular, pulled apart and packed flat for freight purposes, this equated to a huge number of approximately 300 individual signage parts. Great care and planning had to be undertaken in the packing of these parts for shipping, to ensure that all elements were accounted for and that no dramas were encountered by the signage installation team in Venice.

Sustainability

The exhibition was designed to be transported and shown within a diverse range of gallery and public spaces, evident via the exhibition's travelling program since the Venice Biennale. In particular, the modular signage could be pulled apart and packed efficiently into small shipping containers for freight purposes and transport efficiency.

Graphic Design - Illustration and Type

This award recognises traditional or digital visual representation of ideas and messages. Consideration given to clarity of communication and the matching information style to audience.
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