Valentin Nguyen Info Play

Swamp Shop Storefront Sign — Custom illustration and typography for the Academy’s gift shop storefront sign


In 2024, I designed the storefront sign for the Swamp Shop, a gift shop in the California Academy of Sciences! The sign was in need of a modern refresh to reflect the Academy’s updated and modernized brand. The design is inspired by swamp animals and pays homage to the mosaic artwork built into the swamp, which were made by artist Guillermo Wagner Granizo. 

Year
 March – May 2024

Scope
Storefront Sign, Illustration, Type Design Client
California Academy of Sciences

Team
Designer: Valentin Nguyen 
Creative Director: Rhonda Rubinstein


BEFORE — Shop was previously called “Lab Junior”
AFTER — Shop with its newly renamed and installed “Swamp Shop” storefront sign


Inspired by creatures of the swamp


When the Academy reopened in 2008 after the 1989 earthquake, the new building maintained pieces from the old building as an homeage to the Academy’s legacy.

The “confetti” scale pattern celebrates the mosaic and reflects the scaly creatures that generally live in swamps. Using Granizo’s mosaics as inspiration, I sketched different variations for the sign’s patterned background.

Gila Monster by Guillermo Wagner Granizo, which has been repurposed as decor for the Swamp Shop.

Preliminary sketches and explorations for the mosaic pattern of the sign.
For the overall pattern direction, I explored different pattern and style variations such as small vs. big dots, and outlined vs. unoutlined dots.  We chose option 4 for its simplicity.
For the color of the sign, I explored different themes inspired by the colors of the swamp (reds, greens, blues). We chose option 2 since it felt the most modern.

Color swatch proof
Color swatch print tests

Finally, I explored different type styles for the letters of the sign. We chose option 1 for its modern and simple design.


Celebrating the swamp in style


The final sign includes 22 blocks with alternating green-blue colors inspired by the swamp ecosystem. A colorful, gila monster scale pattern runs down each block like celebratory confetti. The letters that spell out “SWAMP SHOP” have classic striped details reminiscent of the nature of shopping (i.e. barcodes).

Overall, I’m pleased with how this storefront sign turned out! I feel honored to have designed such a memorable and semi-permanent sign in the musem.




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