Swamp Shop Fascia Sign
OverviewI designed the storefront sign for the Swamp Shop, a gift shop in the California Academy of Sciences located next to its living swamp exhibit. The sign needed a modern refresh that stayed true to the Academy's updated brand while honoring the history of the space.
Role
Designer
Client
California Academy of Sciences
Timeline
April – May 2024
ScopeFascia Sign, Illustration, Typography
The gift shop storefront sign before the renovation.
When the California Academy of Sciences reopened in 2008 after the 1989 earthquake, it preserved pieces of the original building as a tribute to its legacy, including the mosaic artworks of artist Guillermo Wagner Granizo that were originally built directly within the swamp environment. I used those mosaics as the storefront design's starting point.
I reinterpreted Granizo's work as a confetti-like scale pattern, referencing both the mosaics and the scaly creatures of the swamp ecosystem. I laid out 22 alternating blocks for each letter to reference the colors of the swamp itself, and gave the letterforms subtle stripe details as a subtle nod to barcodes and the visual language of retail.
About Valentin Nguyen
[val-en-teen noo-win]
I’m a graphic and brand designer who loves building visual identities and designs for brands dedicated to uplifting the health, happiness, and hearts of humans around the world. Currently open for new opportunities and nice chats. You can reach me via email at va.nguyen06@gmail.com.
I also love cartwheeling, board games, charcuterie boards, banana bread, mid-century modern furniture, San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York Times puzzles, cozy video games, collecting Smiskis, flossing, helping others, and tossing things into my junk drawer.
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Past Collaborators
Graphic Designer • Illustrator • Californian • Strategist • Impromptu Cartwheeler • Banana Bread Baker • Night Owl • Cozy Gamer • Daydreamer • Smiski Collector • Proud Homebody • Graphic Designer • Illustrator • Californian • Strategist • Impromptu Cartwheeler • Banana Bread Baker • Night Owl • Cozy Gamer • Daydreamer • Smiski Collector • Proud Homebody •