When this distinguished museum needed to recognize their annual donors, they asked us to design a thoughtful, affordable donor recognition wall. Our task was to design, create and install a display that was of a caliber worthy of display in The Cedar Rapids Art Museum’s $10 million renovated, modern lobby. The recognition display needed to be relevant to the space and be easily and affordably updated every year.
We started by studying the space to incorporate existing architectural elements. Taking into consideration the metal finishes used throughout the space, the horizontal banding in the architecture as well as the neutral colors popped with bursts of cranberry, purple and charcoal, we designed and fabricated a recognition wall display that enhanced and spoke to the space. A permanent frame of sorts was created where the interior mounted print could be changed year after year. Corporate and individual donors are recognized in charcoal on a field of neutral tones that match the walls. With a band of cranberry background color showing from behind the print on either side, the color accents of the lobby are referenced. The horizontal stripes and fern pattern tonally represented on the aluminum fascia juxtapose the curve in the shape that draws your eye against all the linear elements of the space while speaking to the adjoining atrium.
This elegant, donor recognition wall display was clearly designed for the space and provides the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art a means of affordably updating their donor recognition on a yearly basis.
Leaf Donor Wall Custom Designed for the Space
The hospital leaf donor wall celebrates the many donors that make the new health facility possible. Working together, Our team of designers and engineers envisioned the new lobby space and guarantee a location for the donor display prior to the building completion. The conceptual phase of the donor wall project involves understanding the Center, their mission, their goals, and all aspects to include within the leaf donor wall. After a walk
through of the center it was decided the best place for impact and viewing would be on the large 20 foot lobby wall. The design challenges to include 610 donor names within 6 giving levels, fit the space and create an art piece that relates to the Center.
The final design is a simplified, airy tree with blowing leaves dancing in the spirit of the project. The addition of the quote, “Patients First . . . Building a Legacy of Care.” clearly explains the mission. The leaf donor wall is mounted to a printed background to represent the rolling hillside landscape of the area and completely covers the dark green wall. The abstract curved shape to the panels helps soften the clinical feel to the waiting room. The main fall orange tree color compliments the green interior, walls and furniture to evoke emotion. Individually produced acrylic leafs make up the many donors and is color coordinated to its giving level To complete the display, a printed legend explains the giving levels.
The Smallest Things Donor Recognition Wall celebrates and honors those small miracles who come into the world at Roosevelt Hospital in Mahattan, NYC. The idea is to include Parents, grandparents, family and friends who may wish to mark this joyous and exciting time in a very special way. With a charitable gift the baby in their life will have their name displayed on the mural – a unique and lasting tribute that commemorates the beginning of one life by helping to ensure the care of future lives.
Inspiration for this recognition wall came from the idea that “Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart.” We took an illustrative direction to this donor wall to give it a playful children’s books feel which spoke to the audience of a birth center. We created an original illustration specifically designed to include all elements for donor recognition. One challenge was that because this is and ongoing campaign for years to come, how can we have a display that looks finished yet isn’t complete? So we designed two aspects to the recognition wall, a main illustrated scene and then an image that grows as donations are received. The overall image includes a bear sitting in the meadow surrounded by some of natures smallest animals which ties into the main quote. The bear and tree stump are individually cut out from the background and are mounted off the wall to create depth and interest. The bumblebee, butterfly, dragonfly and hummingbird are also the category names and color coordinated to match giving level circles in non gender specific pastel baby colors. As donations are received, a plexiglass circle with the baby’s name will be displayed onto the illustration with room for up to 450 donor names. The idea is that in the blue sky heart-shaped clouds fill with cheerful color as each newborn’s name is added – bringing the endearing scene to life.
On display is an original illustrative donor recognition wall honoring precious new arrivals and showcasing the commitment to newborn care and bringing hope to all who pass by for years to come.
