Zak Group — 2nd Chicago Architecture Biennial Identity Package — Chicago, USA
Zak Group has art directed the second Chicago Architecture Biennial, the largest international survey of contemporary architecture in North America by creating a flexible identity for Make New History built around bold colours and repetition. For the first edition of the Chicago Architecture Biennial in 2015, Zak Group created a visual identity and a marketing campaign that made extensive use of the grid – a visual form emblematic of the city of Chicago and the practice of architecture itself. Zak Group has conceived of the subsequent editions as part of a masterplan, taking the grid as its starting point.
The studio developed a bespoke signage system for the Chicago Cultural Center and a half dozen other sites across the city. The identity can be found on display throughout the city of Chicago in the form of a large scale out-of-home media campaign in addition to international, national and regional print and digital media. Freestanding printed and interactive signs, mounted on custom-made steel and concrete stands, guide visitors through the exhibition and the work of over 140 architects. An accompanying catalogue published by Lars Müller Publishers brings together an eminent collection of writers, architects and artists. The catalogue investigates the importance of history in contemporary architectural production. As well as a website that presents an extensive variety of content and events that can be dynamically pushed to displays within the key exhibition venues.