2014
The New School University Center, New York
The central concept behind the wayfinding project for the new New School University Center, located in Manhattan at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and 14th Street, revolves around the design of a three-dimensional typography inspired by the architecture of the sixteen-story building’s facade. We developed a contemporary interpretation of Peter Bilak’s Irma typeface. By layering Irma Light over Irma Black, it takes on a three-dimensional appearance. Through the use of perspective, it becomes directional, thereby highlighting the signage directions. The typography’s perspective effect evolves depending on the floor where it is used. Thus, the three-dimensional effect intensifies continuously from the ground floor to the 16th floor. The variations of this new alphabet, rendered in both black and white and in color, are infinite, mirroring the interdisciplinary nature of The New School. Beyond the directional and functional signage, a colorful typographic installation—comprising the titles of courses taught at The New School since 1919—has been deployed on the ceilings of the emergency stairwells, visible from the outside.
Design Team — Ruedi Baur, David Thoumazeau, Alexandra Bauch, Stéphanie Brabant
Architects — SOM, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill