Project: Signals

Road Signs for the 8th Swiss Sculpture Exhibition
In the wider context of PR work, the Biel School of Design (Schule für Gestaltung Biel) was tasked with designing road signs for the gateways to the city.

The project was integrated in the school's 3rd year specialised course in graphic arts, and was pursued in close cooperation with Mr. Morgenthaler.

This practical three-dimensional project was of great interest to us all. Apart from purely visual aspects, we also had to be attentive to the selection of materials, statics and budgeted costs.

Our main goal was to find three-dimensional solutions that would immediately convey a visual and informative link to the great Sculpture Exhibition without impinging on, let alone competing with individual works of art. This means that we went for informative signs rather than attempting to create "sculptures".

Having identified the locations, they were photographed so that each "sign" might be developed and designed according to its specific situation. Form, shape, colour, typography, identification and information value, legibility from afar, signal effect, memorability – the project enabled us to study and explore principles of visual communication in a straightforwardly practical context.

As a result of the project, various signs reflecting their specific location will call attention to the 8th Swiss Sculpture Exhibition from each important road access and gateway to the city of Biel.

The teachers and students [of the Biel School of Design] are grateful to Mr. Morgenthaler for having created this opportunity to pursue such a fascinating project for the Exhibition. We all found ourselves quite challenged.

Students having participated: Lukas Märki, Olivier Salchli, Pierre Bessot, Yvan Brahier

© Translation from German, August 2008: Margret Powell-Joss