Sai Prateek Narayan
Environmental Typography
Today, typography is an essential form of communication in our environment. In 12pt it describes a piece of artwork in an exhibition, in 6in cap height it tells us where to go and at 15ft cap height (10,160pt) it brands a building. Knowing how to work with typography at this range of scales, as well as the material and environmental conditions, is an essential tool for those working in the built environment. During this course we discussed theories, concepts, and strategies related to scale, space, hierarchy and graphics. We also considered movement, time, materiality, and what we are being told by the type in our environments.
1: 3-dimensional Typography
Project Brief
The Carnegie Museum of Art is hosting a new exhibition that features artists that work from found materials. They need to name the exhibition and develop marketing materials, such as signage, posters, etc. The CMOA staff is envisioning three dimensional letters at the entrance of the gallery, with photographs of the letters to be used for 2D applications (print, web, etc.). The client is interested in showcasing a variety of materials and techniques, though size should be consistent across each letter. We, as a group, were responsible for naming the exhibition, as well as designing and constructing the letters.
2: Interior Wayfinding
*designed & produced in collaboration with Alice Fang and Christian Walsh*
Project Brief
Carnegie Mellon University's Hunt Library opened in 1961 thanks to the generosity of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Hunt, and. Mrs. Hunt's collection of rare botanical books is actually still housed on the 5th floor. We proposed (in groups of 3) a speculative environmental typography project for Hunt Library's primary stairwell.
3: Exterior Wayfinding - Signage in the Central Northside
Project Brief
Pittsburgh is known for having distinct neighborhoods that formed due to geography, proximity, use, ethnicity and transportation. Neighborhoods take pride in their histories, unique physical attributes and personalities. For example, the neighborhood of (North) Oakland is both tied to the past and in constant flux, with new residents and students living alongside those that have been there for generations.
A neighborhood of our choosing seeks to establish a visual identity and aid navigation through the development of a bespoke signage system. We were given the brief that they commissioned us to design a set of typical signs that will be used throughout the neighborhood.
