Crafting an immersive, and educational Vatican experience in the USA
CLIENT
IN5
ROLE
Director, Brand & Design
TYPE
Brand Identity, Environmental Graphics, Communication, Narrative Structure
AGENCY
Elephant Design
CHALLENGE
Enabling visitors to explore the Vatican's art, architecture, and culture right in the heart of California posed significant hurdles. As our first 360-degree experience, visualizing the entire show from scratch and designing for a remote unfamiliar site, added complexity in ensuring a seamless experience across multiple media and formats. From an extensive research exercise to production supervision, this project called for global collaboration with teams across USA, Ukraine, India and Italy
STRATEGY
The objective was to create an immersive experience that was not only creative and innovative but also 'larger than life.' Our approach involved blending experience, information, and storytelling. Balancing the curation of content through artistic and historic lenses was crucial, especially within a 30-minute format. Collaborating with animation experts from Ukraine, we took charge of scripting the storyline and designing the sequence of events for the media room to present the most meaningful and powerful stories.
DESIGN
The objective was to create an extendable brand identity system, that captures the spirit of an explorer and communicates the 360 experience. Inviting viewers to step through the portal, the visual system can be adapted across future exhibition themes.
Exterior signages and communication in the form of "Discover," "Immerse," and "Experience" panels, built visibility, intrigue and prepared visitors for the experience ahead. Communication graphics and way finding guided visitors through five zones: Foyer, Ante Room, Media Room, Fun Activity Area, and VR experience room.
The journey begins at the anteroom introducing visitors to the Vatican's art, architecture, and splendor. To capture the Vatican's historical essence, we blended ancient engraving techniques with modern technicolor. Anticipating 250 visitors at a time, bite-sized information panels provided insights on key artworks and monuments. Screens offered detailed information for a comprehensive understanding. English and Spanish options catered to diverse audiences.