CWU ADMISSIONS | ENVIRONMENTAL IDENTITY
Building an immersive brand experience through archival storytelling.
Embedded Files
Assigned to enhance the CWU Admissions department, I collaborated on a series of large-scale wall decals. The goal was to transform vacant office walls into engaging brand touchpoints that welcomed incoming students while adhering to university brand standards.
- Role: In-House Designer
- Context: Space Activation & Archival Storytelling
- Services: Environmental Graphics, Art Direction
- Output: Large-Format Decals, Halftone System
Activating the Space.
Activating the Space.
To understand the full extent of the project, I examined the physical canvas. The department had several high-traffic, vacant walls that lacked brand presence. I saw an opportunity to transform these "dead zones" into a narrative experience. One wall in particular stood out, showcasing framed images of the school’s historical background—I determined this would be my approach going forward.
Defining the Theme.
Defining the Theme.
I conducted a deep dive into the CWU archives to find a theme that resonated with the student experience. By identifying key "friction points" for incoming students, I developed a narrative theme focused on the student journey—connecting the university's historic past with the potential of their future. While researching, I gathered other examples of environmental design work and created a board to guide the aesthetic direction.
Modernizing the Archive.
Modernizing the Archive.
The historical archives lacked the diversity necessary to represent the current CWU community. I made the strategic decision to pivot the theme, blending archival assets with contemporary photography to ensure every student walking through the doors felt a sense of belonging and representation.
The Halftone Solution.
The Halftone Solution.
Archival photos often suffer from low resolution that fails at a wall-sized scale. To solve this, I converted the imagery into a stylized halftone pattern. This addressed the technical limitations of the source files while creating a distinctive, intentional "retro-modern" aesthetic.
A Cohesive Brand Narrative.
A Cohesive Brand Narrative.
Through several iterations of scaling and accreditation, the final decals provided a professional, high-energy environment for the Admissions team. The project successfully turned a clinical office space into an immersive, inclusive gateway for the next generation of students.
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