Last updated 5/7/2008

APCO GRAPHICS (Atlanta, GA) has manufactured sign systems for over 50 U.S. Embassies worldwide, but their latest project for the new embassy in Berlin stands out from the rest, featuring perhaps the most intricate and complex sign APCO has ever produced. Designed by Sussman/Prejza & Company, the Great Seal, which will hang in the main atrium of the new embassy, comprises custom handcrafted and precision water jet cut aluminum and polished stainless steel components.

ARCTURIS (St. Louis, MO) completed a signage package for Barat Academy, a private Catholic high school in suburban St. Louis; the package reflects the school’s philosophies in street banners and a comprehensive signage system. The firm also created a comprehensive interior signage system for America’s Center, the largest convention hall space in the St. Louis area; a gallery was created in the central concourse that includes oversized framed photography of St. Louis landmarks. Large wall graphics that speak to the culture of the region were also produced to frame the entryways to the exhibit halls.

ASI-MODULEX (Dallas, TX) introduced Sail, a new signage system created to meet the needs of today’s open floor plans. The system is particularly suited for high-end, indoor environments including corporate offices, cultural facilities, luxury hotels, and upmarket retail.

FMG DESIGN (Houston, TX) hosted the Rice Design Alliance in January for the launch of its winter issue of Cite: The Architecture & Design Review of Houston; the Rice Design Alliance is a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to the advancement of architecture and design. The firm announced that Piedmont Hospital recently awarded FMG the anchor tenant graphics contract for the Piedmont Outpatient Center in Atlanta, GA. The firm will also be developing several comprehensive environmental graphics programs. The first is for Cornerstone, an upscale and balanced multiple use community in central Lake County, IL, that will feature a business park, retail and residential development, and amenities designed to replicate a sophisticated, new suburban lifestyle. The second is for the Water Street multi-purpose facility and includes apartments, upscale retail, office space, a hotel, and condos in Las Colinas, TX.

GALLAGHER & ASSOCIATES (Bethesda, MD) designed the exhibits for a new visitor center, housing interactive exhibits that trace prehistoric animal life during the Miocene era through modern laboratory analysis of ancient fossils, that recently opened at the East Tennessee State University and General Shale Brick Natural History Museum in eastern Tennessee. The fossil site, located next to the new center, was uncovered in 2000 by highway contractors working in the Appalachian region of eastern Tennessee. Determined to be late Miocene in age, the site has produced multiple rhinoceros specimens, an alligator specimen, and many other fossils of fish, snakes, and other species. Discoveries include new specimens previously unknown to the area, including a Red Panda.

HUNT DESIGN (Pasadena, CA) created an interactive media Welcome Wall to welcome children and families to the new Mattel Children’s Hospital UCLA. Composed of two large plasma screens, three small LCD screens, and three rear projection screens, the design blends the Mattel story and those of individual personalities, which are then choreographed with two overhead motion video projectors, sending imagery of butterflies, patients’ drawings, and key words.

JONES SIGN COMPANY (De Pere, WI) welcomed T. Wayne Daniels as the new vice president of sales. The firm announced the opening of two new management offices, one located in Tampa, FL and the other in Virginia Beach, VA. They also added water-jet cutting capabilities and ADA photopolymer to their architectural division, giving them control of the entire fabrication process.

KA ARCHITECTURE (Cleveland, Ohio) announced the election of its newest board member, Craig H. Wasserman, and five new principals: Todd A. Brandt, Ruta K. Greiner, Ibrahim Hakki, John S. Tepfenhart, and Richard A. Wilden.

THE LAWRENCE GROUP (St. Louis, MO) welcomed Russell Dow as graphic director; he will lead Lawrence Group 369.

LEE H. SKOLNICK ARCHITECTURE + DESIGN (New York, NY) designed the exhibition of the Murtogh D. Guinness Collection of Mechanical Musical Instruments and Automata in Morristown, NJ. With more than 150 mechanical musical instruments, musical boxes, and automated figures on display, the exhibition showcases the technological and scientific achievements, as well as the social historical themes, of the collection. A workshop gallery offers hands-on interactives to complement these ingenious devices.

LORENC +YOO DESIGN (Roswell, GA) is celebrating 30 years in practice, with allied firms in Dubai, Seoul, Korea, and Philadelphia. Jan Lorenc spoke at the Fashion institute of Technology, discussing his book "What is Exhibition Design?" He also presented the firm’s work at the Portfolio Center, SCAD, and Georgia Tech during early 2008. He is honored to have his book published in his native Poland and now also in Russia and China as well; the book is on its second edition in English. LYD has been retained by UPS to design a hospitality center for UPS clientele at the Beijing Olympics this August. The firm is part of the General Growth Properties team for Christiana Mall in Newark, DE; Bayside Marketplace in Miami, FL; and Staten Island Mall in New York, NY. LYD is part of the Simon team for Columbia Mall in Kennewick, WA; Battlefield Mall in Missouri; and Tacoma Mall in Tacoma, WA.

MANDEVILLE SIGN (Lincoln, RI) completed the exterior graphics package for Genzyme and their new Science Center in Framingham, MA; the project was designed by Gamble Design. Additional work on the campus is currently underway for the interior wayfinding component of their new diagnostics headquarters including a four-sided internally illuminated branding column. The firm is also in fabrication for the International Fund for Animal Welfare’s world headquarters in Yarmouthport, MA, designed by Wojciechowski Design. Recently completed projects include an architectural canopy and tandem blade signs for Perkin Elmer in downtown Boston and a design/build exterior project for the renovation of Worthington Commons, an apartment complex in Springfield, MA.

NEMETSCHEK NORTH AMERICA (Columbia, Maryland) co-sponsored and participated in Onuma BIMStorm™ LAX, an international event involving a wide cross-section of building industry professionals who design—in real time—over 30 Los Angeles city blocks. The event demonstrated how new technology and processes can improve design. Architect magazine honored Nemetschek North America’s VectorWorks Architect 2008 design software with first place in its 6th Annual Architect's Choice for Excellence Awards in the computer software category; voted on by the magazine’s readers, the ACE Awards recognize companies that offer outstanding product durability, exceptional customer service, superior value, and innovative designs.

ROCKWELL GROUP (New York, NY) is working with the Lincoln Center Campus master plan of Diller Scofidio + Renfro to create a new identity for the Film Society of Lincoln Center. The firm is also designing a condo-hotel on Wall Street that will include the first U.S. location of the new Hyatt brand Andaz. In partnership with Page & Turnbull, the firm is creating the new museum for the Walt Disney Family Foundation in the Presidio district of San Francisco, CA; Rockwell Group will also design the permanent exhibition that chronicles the life of Walt Disney. The firm completed the first phase of the renovation of the Belvedere Hotel in Mykonos and created a two-story dining experience for Nobu’s new restaurant in Melbourne, Australia.

SHIKATANI LACROIX BRANDESIGN (Toronto, ONT) was commissioned by the City of Waterloo, ONT, to brand and develop a wayfinding program for a trail that links various historical and public landmarks as part of a pedestrian and bicycle path. Following the firm’s development of the new Canadian Blood Services identity, the organization again approached SL to develop a position, name, and identity for its stem cell and marrow network; the new name is “onematch” and the logo, comprised of two intersecting drops forming an oval, reflects the unique proposition of helping to match donors with patients. In award news, SL won a Gold in the Graphis Magazine identity design awards, and a Merit for the Mapco Mart re-branding from National Convenience Stores. The firm will develop a new strategy, identity, and wayfinding program for the Town of Essex, a major tourist attraction south of Windsor; a new wayfinding program for Calgary Health Region, a leading hospital; a new identity program for one of North America's leading premium window and door manufacturers, Pollard Windows; and a new wayfinding program for Seneca College, a leading educational institution in Ontario.

The Big Apple Visual Group of New York now has a presence in the Middle East under the banner of SIGN WORKS, LLC. Though based in Dubai, the company is positioned to provide their services across the greater Middle East region.

SIGNTECH (Seattle, WA) recently completed fabrication and installation of new environmental graphics and signage for RTKL Associates’ Los Angeles offices. Included in the scope were multi-layered graphic lamp shades, large format digital murals, a custom ADA sign system and identification graphics as designed by the RTKL’s EG group.

TWO TWELVE (New York, NY) is working on several projects for the New Meadowlands Stadium, which will be the new home of the NY Giants and the NY Jets. Principal Ann Harakawa and her Two Twelve colleagues are leading the development for the New Meadowlands Stadium wayfinding and parking strategy with Walker Parking, Langan Engineering, and 360 Architecture, and developing signage designs through creative collaboration with Bruce Mau Design of Toronto. The firm has also been working on the Princeton University Campus Plan with Beyer Blinder Belle Architects. David Gibson led the Two Twelve EGD team in developing the new wayfinding and signage strategy for the expanding campus, and the firm’s information design team created the Princeton Campus Plan book that documents the work of the entire planning team. Gibson's team is also developing wayfinding strategies and signage for the major expansion of Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, MD, with Perkins + Will architects.