Nov 13, 2013
Congratulations to Design Formation faculty member, Scot Geib on two recent recognitions. Outside of Langara, Scot works at PUBLIC: Architecture + Communication, and his team won both the 2013 Society of Environmental Graphic Design Merit award, and the 2013 Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia Award in Architecture Gold Medal for their work on Buchanan Courtyard Pavilion at UBC.
About the project
PUBLIC: Architecture + Communication was asked to create a visual expression of what it means to study arts at the University of British Columbia. The Faculty of Arts consists of 26 schools, from Economics to Classical, Near Eastern, and Religious Studies. To craft a singular message of interconnectedness, PUBLIC asked faculty representatives to supply a quote or phrase that struck at the core value of their field of study.
Philosophy’s submission referring to an ancient Greek reflecting pool and its qualities of reflection and self-examination led the design team to the foot of a new concrete pavilion at the edge of a courtyard designed for large-scale celebrations and the exchange of ideas. The pavilion, also designed by PUBLIC, anchors the space and provides a stage for performances and festivals. A shallow skim of water extends from the base in all directions.
PUBLIC rendered the quotes within the pool, arranging them in concentric rings of text facing both inward and outward—more than 8,000 characters set in 11 languages across seven different alphabets. The graphics were prepared using a computer-cut vinyl resist laid over concrete, which was micro sandblasted and filled with white epoxy resin. The pool surface was then treated with a black wash to highlight the text. The combination of architectural form and typography connects both literal and conceptual aspects of the Arts to form a dynamic revitalized place on campus. The results were so well received by the faculty that PUBLIC was asked to develop a new visual identity for UBC Arts based on the environmental graphics.
Congrats Scot!
