Princeton International Atrium
Visual Identity, Exhibition, Architecture
A 7200 sq. ft. spatial installation celebrating Princeton’s international approach to education and research
Transcending Boundaries, Projecting Connections
To commemorate the new Louis A. Simpson International Building, Isometric was asked to create a distinctive spatial identity that celebrates Princeton’s international approach to education and research. We designed a floor installation that spans three levels, featuring quotations from global authors. Subtle and evanescent, the design is inspired by these lines from Tennyson: “All experience is an arch wherethro’ / Gleams that untravell’d world whose margin fades / For ever and forever when I move.”
An unprecedented technical achievement
To match the austerity and ephemerality of the architecture, we created a concentric design that begins in the building center and emanates outwards in a series of open arcs. We chose the typeface Danmark, a delicate stencil typeface that is comprised of lines and dots. As visitors walk over the porcelain tiles, quotes, lines, and dots begin to appear. As they move away from each section, the design recedes from view.
After the careful application of the silver vinyl letters, the entire 7200 sq. ft. floor area was coated with epoxy that turned it glossy. Then, a thin coat of polyurethane restored the original matte appearance of the tile and offered added protection.
