the power of visual communication

Graphic Design at Ayers Saint GrossTHE POWER OF VISUAL COMMUNICATION

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INTRODUCTION TO THE FIRM 2

VISUAL COMMUNICATION 4

FIRST IMPRESSION, LASTING IMPACT 6

A SUCCESSFUL APPROACH 8

PRINT, IDENTITY & INFORMATION 10

ENVIRONMENTS & WAYFINDING 26

SELECT CLIENTS 52

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Visual Communication has the power to

EDUCATEMOTIVATEINSPIRE &INFORM

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Introduction to the FirmAyers Saint Gross is an internationally recognized, employee-owned design

firm with expertise in architecture, planning, landscape architecture, visual

communication and space analytics. At over 150 professionals, our firm

is organized into a series of studios specialized by practice area, each

supported by expertise in various disciplines. Since the founding of our

practice in 1912, Ayers Saint Gross has built a reputation for designing

environments of enduring value. We are unique among our peers in

that more than 85 percent of our work is for colleges, universities and

cultural facilities, having worked on over 500 projects for more than 140

institutions. Our design is driven by a critical and analytical discourse, a

respect for past wisdom, a mind to future potential and a belief that we

have an obligation to leave places better than we found them.

AYERS SAINT GROSS QUICK FACTS

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PROJECTS

FOUNDED

STAFF

OFFICE LOCATIONS

FIRM PHILOSOPHY

TempeBaltimore

D.C.

BALTIMORE

1040 Hull StreetSuite 100Baltimore, MD 21230

WASHINGTON D.C.

1100 First Street NESuite 800Washington, DC 20001

TEMPE

60 E. Rio Salado Pkwy.Suite 701Tempe, AZ 85281

1912

500+ 140+

150

85%of our work is for higher education

facilities

Projects Completed Institutional Clients

Professional Staff Members

of our Staff Members are LEED Accredited

“ We engage people and places to create designs that enrich our world.”75%

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Visual Communication

COMPONENTS OF VISUAL COMMUNICATION

Visual communication is a powerful tool. It informs and educates.

It motivates and inspires. Ayers Saint Gross specializes in the design of

visual communication systems that shape relationships between people

and places. Our expertise includes design for environments, publications

and brands. We specialize in information design and identity design,

environmental graphic design, signage and wayfinding, as well as marketing

and fundraising collateral. Drawing on our firm’s cross-disciplinary expertise

in master planning, landscape architecture and architecture, we engage these

specialized resources for projects in and about the built environment. Through

visual communication, we endeavor to create lasting value for our clients.

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VISUAL COMMUNICATION

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First ImpressionLasting Impact

CREATING A LASTING FIRST IMPRESSION

The quality of design connotes the quality of an institution; it is critical

to making a positive impact in an increasingly visual society. Today,

colleges, corporations, non-profits and cultural organizations compete in a

sophisticated visual climate shaped not just by conventional peers, but also

by outside influences including entertainment, hospitality, retail and online

experiences. Visual literacy isn’t constrained by demographics. People of

all ages and backgrounds judge you by the effectiveness of your graphic

messages. Successful visual communication is a valuable asset. Fortunately,

good design is a high yield investment. It is a low-cost way to form positive

and lasting impressions.

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LASTING FIRST IMPRESSION

Build Confidence

Motivate Action

Create Brand Recognition

Inspire Imagination

Recruit & Retain

Achieve a Competitive Edge

Bolster Perception

Improve Accessibility

Visualize Data

Inform

Demonstrate Sustainability

VISUAL COMMUNICATION

High Im

pact

Low Cost Reflect Mission & Culture

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A SuccessfulApproachVisual communication is a language system that people use to learn about

and evaluate you. It influences decisions—by default or by design. When well

researched and thoughtfully designed, it can build confidence and inspire

loyalty. When poorly executed, it can be a deterrent.

Successful projects begins with strategy and structure. We are skilled at

creating designs that resonate with people. We begin by listening to you and

working together to identify your goals, your audiences and the competitive

landscape. Then we devise a process to achieve your functional and creative

goals. Together, we transform ideas into powerful visual form.

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND

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BEGIN WITH THE

END IN MIND

KEEP THE ENVIRONMENT

IN MIND

YOU CAN DO A LOT

WITH A LITTLE

MAKE IT MEMORABLE

LESS IS MORE

THINK AHEAD

KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE

CONSIDERTHE

CONTEXT

STAY TRUE TO

YOUR MISSION

DESIGNATE A POINT PERSON

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Print, Identity & Information

Pratt Campaign for Central Library Renovations

Enoch Pratt Free LibraryBaltimore, Maryland

Ayers Saint Gross specializes in information design and identity design for

publications and brands. From simple diagrams to complex reports, logos

to style guides, we shape brands and translate complex information into

meaningful stories. The projects highlighted on the following pages – logos,

brand guidelines, brochures, publications and marketing collateral – converse

with audiences and help our clients educate, motivate, inspire and inform.

PRINT & IDENTITY12

Pratt Campaign for Central Library Renovations Enoch Pratt Free LibraryBaltimore, Maryland

Since its founding, the Enoch Pratt Free Library has been an ambassador for knowledge and education for all Marylanders. Today the 1930s-era Central Library needs costly renovations to advance its mission. The graphic theme for The Pratt Campaign for Central Library Renovations derives from the historic ironwork in the building’s iconic entrance. Significant for its street level location, this welcoming architectural gesture was pioneering for its time. It is a distinguishing feature of the library and a metaphor for its culture and spirit.

13THE POWER OF VISUAL COMMUNICATION

PRINT & IDENTITY14

Sustainability Action Plan BrochureAyers Saint Gross Baltimore, Maryland

Take Action, Ayers Saint Gross’ Sustainable Action Plan, is an illustrated call-to-action for responsible and sustainable corporate behavior. Through projects, deeds, professional practice and research initiatives, Ayers Saint Gross strives to minimize its footprint and encourages others to do the same. This booklet was responsibly produced using a local printer, two colors of ultraviolet light-curable inks and 100% post-consumer recycled paper.

PRINT & IDENTITY16

Identity Mark & Promotional View BookSt Elizabeths EastWashington D.C.

St. Elizabeths East is a developer-driven project in Southeast Washington that envisions a vibrant, mixed-use development of offices, apartments, retail and civic amenities on the site of a former mental hospital. The site’s legacy presented a branding challenge— what the property was as a contrast to what it could become. Recognizing the inherent sensitivities of the task, the team worked with the Washington D.C. Deputy Mayor’s Office of Economic Development to brand the redevelopment initiative. The identity mark is central to the effort. It invokes the beauty of the site’s architectural heritage and the promise of renewal. A branded view book describes the development opportunity and solicits potential development partners.

PRINT & IDENTITY18

Visualizing Sustainability PosterAyers Saint GrossBaltimore, Maryland

Effective data visualization balances intrigue with understanding. Data becomes useful when we tell a story with it. This poster, designed for the Associations for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) conference, is a guide to creating compelling graphic communication to make an institution’s sustainability initiatives more relatable. Spreadsheets may deliver statistical proof, but they don’t readily inspire behavior. Pairing succinct information with graphic visualization compels students, faculty and administrators to become more engaged with sustainable topics.

John & Frances Angelos Law Center

Concrete Slab Detail

PRINT & IDENTITY20

Identity & BrandingHoffberger Moving ServicesBaltimore, Maryland

Hoffberger Moving Services has gained recognition as a specialist in the relocation of offices, research and fine arts facilities, and hospitals. A fleet of strikingly branded trucks promotes the company and distinguishes it from the competition. The complete identity program also includes the corporate wordmark and logo, color palette, stationery system, apparel applications and packaging.

PRINT & IDENTITY22

Identity & Style GuideVertex Student ApartmentsTempe, Arizona

Vertex is a vibrant residential and mixed-use community offering well-managed student housing in downtown Tempe, Arizona. The Vertex identity and name champion the brand’s vibrant and healthy spirit. Both are inspired by the signature architectural feature at the vertex of a primary intersection. The Vertex palette conveys a youthful, natural and energetic tone that resonates with active, education-oriented residents. The Vertex style guide governs the consistent use of the Vertex logotype, colors, and typefaces in applications ranging from business cards to promotional items.


John Smiths e n i o r d i r e c t o r

1050 Terrace Road Tempe, Arizona 01010

e [email protected] 404 505 6060 c 404 606 7070

Peak Campus Management, LLC www.vertexapartments.com

PRINT & IDENTITY24

Comparing Campuses PostersAyers Saint GrossBaltimore, Maryland

The Society for College and University Planning (SCUP) is a “community of senior, higher education leaders who are responsible for, or are involved in, the integration of planning on their campuses and for the professionals who support them.” Every year, Ayers Saint Gross designs an informative poster for distribution to SCUP conference participants. Graphic depictions illustrate data and trends in higher education in a visually compelling and concise way. Posters are printed locally using 100% post-consumer recycled paper with quick drying UV inks.

ENVIRONMENTS & WAYFINDING26

Environments & Wayfinding

Environmental Campus SignageCollege of Charleston

Charleston, South Carolina

Environmental graphic design and signage connect people with places.

Well-designed signs and wayfinding systems enhance the appearance of a place

and help users understand and relate to the physical setting by communicating

information that offers guidance, assurance and confidence. Successful,

integrated environmental graphic and signage programs are visible, powerful

and cost-effective. Visual communication within the built environment has the

power to impart lasting impressions and shapes experiences.


Environmental Campus SignageCollege of CharlestonCharleston, South Carolina

The College of Charleston’s four-mile nature trail winds through 800-acres of a former plantation on the banks of the Stono River in Charleston County, South Carolina. Interpretive way stations punctuate the trail with stories of the site’s history, culture and ecology. The sign system, which also includes wayfinding, uses trail markers emblazoned with symbols representing distinct landscapes to supply visitors with visual cues to their whereabouts. Signs complement their natural surroundings with thin and arcing elements inspired by swaying grasses, migratory birds and wildlife.


Visitor Center & Smith Education Center Signage & WayfindingThomas Jefferson FoundationCharlottesville, Virginia

The Visitor Center and Smith Education Center serves as a threshold to Monticello, the mountaintop home designed and inhabited by Thomas Jefferson. It is the only historic home in the United States to be designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. Situated at the base of the mountain, the visitor and education center welcomes more than 500,000 visitors from around the world on an annual basis. The signage system pairs quiet sophistication with informational clarity to enhance the facility and aid navigation to an assortment of amenities including transportation, ticketing, theater, classrooms, a store and café.


Skyline Signage & LightingSilo PointBaltimore, Maryland

Once a grain terminal for the B&O Railroad, Silo Point is now home to 228 luxury condominiums on the Baltimore waterfront. Skyline signage and facade lighting create visibility and presence for this recycled industrial structure. On the harbor-facing side, the illuminated identification sign bears the signature colors and typography. Up-lights on the south towers seen from Interstate 95 dramatically spotlight the architecture of the building’s three elevator towers.

PRINT & IDENTITY34

Signage & Wayfinding Master Plan & ImplementationUniversity of ScrantonScranton, Pennsylvania

The University’s signage and wayfinding system improves the campus aesthetic in a manner befitting its academic mission and quality. The signage and wayfinding master plan provides a methodology to guide the University through planned expansion and to develop its character as an urban campus with a clear identity. The design incorporates an infinity motif echoing a significant architectural detail and reinforcing the University’s Jesuit ethos of reflection and lifelong learning.


Signage & Wayfinding Master Plan & ImplementationUniversity of ScrantonScranton, Pennsylvania


Branded EnvironmentFinancial Services Corporate HeadquartersBaltimore, Maryland

The corporate executive suite of this financial services firm offers a fresh perspective on the spirit of the company. Graphic elements begin in the lobby and thread through the two-story space. Two metaphors – connected waterways and streaming information – are expressed through sculptural wall surfaces, typography, imagery and corporate identity. The design celebrates corporate affiliates and global reach, and culminates in a feature stair where thought leadership from around the firm and around the globe is translated into dimensional type.


Cafeteria Renovation & Poster SeriesBaltimore Design SchoolBaltimore, Maryland

The renovated 1950s cafeteria of the Baltimore Design School inspires sixth- and seventh-graders about future careers in graphic design, architecture and fashion. Working pro bono and on a tight deadline, the design team achieved a low-cost but sweeping transformation through fresh, bold hues and stenciled lettering. Graphic posters and hand-painted illustrations relate food to the art and science of design and demonstrate the possibilities of color, imagery and typography to the students. The vibrant environment literally creates food for thought in a space where students gather and interact on a daily basis.


Signage & Wayfinding Master Plan & ImplementationHoward Community CollegeColumbia, Maryland

The signage and wayfinding program for Howard Community College refines the campus image and addresses the needs of a dynamic and rapidly expanding institution. The system is flexible enough to accommodate the College in ten years, but also addresses today’s challenges including widely dispersed parking and facilities and complex regulatory and accessibility messages. Signs feature a custom edge profile evocative of an open book—a subtle celebration of discovery and knowledge and an identifiable visual signature unique to the school. Cast-stone bases anchor the signs and complement the architectural character of campus.


Branded Environment & SignageMaryland House Travel PlazaHarford County, Maryland

Bright, bold and thematic graphics are integrated into the architecture of the newly designed and reopened Maryland House Travel Plaza on Interstate 95 (also by Ayers Saint Gross) with abstractions of the state flag and typographic compositions celebrating the state’s diverse amenities. The project, from structure to signage, reinvents a long-standing American tradition, the highway travel plaza, creating a modern building and environment reflective of the unique culture of Maryland.


Branded Environment & SignageMaryland House Travel PlazaHarford County, Maryland


Branded Environment & SignageChesapeake House Travel PlazaCecil County, Maryland

The new Chesapeake House Travel Plaza replaces its outdated predecessor with a gracious and environmentally sensitive respite for travelers. Chesapeake House shares graphic and signage characteristics with Maryland House, its neighbor to the south, but with a bold typographic palette that draws inspiration from the largest estuary in the country, the Chesapeake Bay. Here, nautical themes are expressed in natural hues with glassy transparencies reminiscent of daylight and water. Visitors appreciate their relationship to the Chesapeake Bay Watershed and its inhabitants of myriad species.


Branded Environment & SignageChesapeake House Travel PlazaCecil County, Maryland

PRINT & IDENTITY52

Select ClientsThe American Revolution Center

AREAS

Arizona State University

The College at Brockport

The Bronx Zoo

The Bryn Mawr School

College of Charleston

Community College of Baltimore County

DePauw University

Downtown Development Corporation

Downtown Partnership of Baltimore

Eckerd College

Enoch Pratt Free Library

Fairfield University

Franklin & Marshall College

Frederick Community College

Gettysburg College

Harbor Point

Harvard University

Hershey Center for Applied Research

Historic City of Atturaif, Addiriyah

Hoffberger Moving Services

Howard Community College

Johns Hopkins University

Lafayette College

Loyola University Maryland

Moravian College

Millsaps College

Minnesota State University Mankato

Nazareth College

National Aquarium in Baltimore

New Jersey Institute of Technology

Northern Arizona University

Peak Campus Development

Ringling College of Art and Design

Rutgers University

Simpson College

The Thomas Jefferson Foundation

University of Arizona

University of Baltimore

University of Chicago

University of Maryland System

University of North Florida

University of Richmond

University of Scranton

University of Wisconsin

Wake Forest University

Washington College


SEE SOMETHING YOU LIKE?

The graphic design studio at Ayers Saint Gross is always on the look-out for new and interesting collaborations. Engage our studio to help you with your next environmental, wayfinding, print, promotional or identity project.

PLEASE CONTACT:

Jamie Barnett, Creative Directorphone 410 347 8500email [email protected]

An employee-owned design firm.

1040 Hull Street, Suite 100Baltimore, Maryland 21230410 347 8500 (office)www.asg-architects.com

the power of visual communication

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