Type

Private commission

Location

HabourFront, Singapore

Programme

Interpretative Design, Graphics, Wayfinding

Client

Mapletree

Timeline

06/2021 – 04/2022

Team

Yann Follain, Catherine Ng, Jamie Ding (Tender)

Photos Credit

Mapletree

The synergy between the graphic design and built environment of this gallery is undoubtedly strong, working hand-in-hand to leave a lasting impression of a heritage exhibition that is experiential and immersive

Bearing in mind that the St James Power Station heritage gallery would largely showcase black and white, or sepia-toned historical photographs, the design of the interpretive panels is simple and minimal to inject distinct modernity into the historical exhibition without taking away from the content. The composition system provides an orderliness to the interpretive panels paired with the refined typesetting, bringing across the subtle sophistication of the gallery. The palette of colours of the mild steel window panels was derived from the images of the content, creating a sense of visual harmony.

Illustrations of each artefact on the wayfinding posts adopt the hand-drawn style to bring out the warmth and a humanistic touch to the heritage experience. The icons took precedent over text to make the system more intuitive and inclusive.

The colour palette is inspired by the materiality, with a splash of subtle colours taken from the iconic mill steel windows of the monument. They are used delicately within the indoor gallery.
The font, Arkhip, was chosen based on the glyphs’ subtle movement in the letters. This accentuated element, seemingly paying tribute to St James Power Station’s location at the heart of the Great Southern Waterfront, makes the typeface appropriate for the refreshed venue’s primary headers and titles.

Garamond was selected in the sea of font options as the supporting content font for its timeless elegance. The font, highly favoured for its clarity, effectively conveys the power plant’s heritage. It seamlessly integrates with Arkhip to provide a grounded approach to translating the maritime aspect of the entire Heritage Trail and Gallery.

The synergy between the graphic design and the built environment in this gallery of undoubtedly strong, working hand-in-hand to leave a lasting impression of a heritage exhibition that is both experiential and immersive.

 

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