MCA Design Banner B. David Zarley
The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago has a new visual identity, unrolled officially this November. Created by Dutch design firm Mevis & Van Deursen, it avails itself to the square-tinged structure of the museum itself, using the grid motif which serves as the visual skeleton of the MCA as the basis for the identity; type is composed of square units—the larger, rougher ones, wherein the grid is most visible, resembling space shuttle arms and a column of marching ants, or the wheeling trails of kinetic Bil Keane kids—and the grid, modular, easily scalable, provides a surprisingly robust toolkit for what is, by definition, built upon a set of rather specific strictures.A photo posted by MCA Chicago (@mcachicago) on Nov 13, 2015 at 10:26am PST
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He likens this design team goal to a brand like HBO; one may tune in simply because one trusts HBO, not to see a particular show. The MCA's unique construction—massive galleries flanking guests as they enter—and lack of a permanent exhibition anchoring the experience means that a strong, bold visual identity helps to tie everything together; to keep it all on grid, so to speak.The translation of the new identity has had Fracareta and his design team—designers Bryce Wilner and Matt Tsang and senior designer Mollie Edgar—in a flurry; they have spent the past eight months or so workshopping and getting familiar with the design, while simultaneously continuing to work in the museum's then-current identity.A photo posted by MCA Chicago (@mcachicago) on Nov 16, 2015 at 1:23pm PST
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