Complete Signage for the Ariana Museum (Geneva)

Sector:Signage / Cultural Heritage

Period:2018-2019 (approximately 1 year)

Client:Ariana Museum, Geneva (Swiss Museum of Ceramics and Glass)

Context

The Ariana Museum, located in alisted heritage buildingin Geneva, needed a complete redesign of its signage to improve visitor orientation and the presentation of collections. The museum had toremain open to the public throughout the duration of the work..

My role: to design, manufacture, and install all of the museum's signage — piece by piece, room by room — while respecting the strict constraints of the listed building.

Problem

Heritage challenge:

• Listed building: absolute prohibition on drilling walls, damaging woodwork, or altering the architectural heritage.
• Respect for the aesthetics of the historic site.
• Discreet and elegant integration of modern signage into an ancient environment.

Logistical challenge:

• Museum open to the public during all work.
• Progressive installation piece by piece without disturbing visitors.
• Coordination with museum teams to plan interventions.
• Total duration: approximately 1 year of manufacturing and installation

Technical challenge:

• Mounting systemswithout drilling: non-invasive hanging, temporary but sturdy fixtures
• Diversity of supports: directional signs, presentation panels, room descriptions, visitor information
• Materials suitable for the museum context (durability, aesthetics, maintenance)

Solution

Process:

1. Framing with the museum: Reception of the general idea and needs (orientation, information, presentation of collections)
2. Design of mounting systems: Development of freestanding solutions, non-invasive wall mounting, self-supporting structures
3. Signage design: Choice of materials, typography, formats suitable for each type of information

4. Progressive manufacturing :

   • Laser cutting of panels
   • Engraving and marking of texts
   • Manufacturing of supports and mounting systems
   • Assembly and finishing

5. Installation piece by piece :

   • Planning with the museum (temporarily closed rooms or interventions outside of opening hours)
   • Installation of supports and panels
   • On-site adjustments
   • Validation with the teams
6. Ongoing coordination: Follow-up over 1 year to cover the entire museum

Types of signage produced:

• Directional signs (orientation within the building)
• Room presentation panels (collection descriptions)
• Labels and information about the works
• Welcome signage and practical information

Materials used:

• Metal (aluminum, steel) for the structures
• Engraved plexiglass for the panels
• Freestanding supports and non-invasive fixings

Result

Deliverables:

• Complete signage for the Ariana Museum
• Progressive installation over 1 year without closing the museum
• No drilling, no damage to the listed building
• Modular systems allowing for future updates

Impact:

• Improvement of visitor orientation in the museum
• Clear and structured presentation of the collections
• Total respect for architectural heritage
• Discreet and elegant installation integrating into the historic site
• Museum remained open to the public throughout the project

Particularities:

• Long-term project (1 year) with continuous coordination
• Work in an occupied environment (museum open)
• Strict heritage constraints fully respected
• Complete turnkey solution: design, manufacturing, installation

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Tags:projects, signage, museum, heritage, Geneva, Ariana, installation, laser cutting