public art

CITY OF CINCINNATI DISTRICT 3 POLICE STATION | ENVIRONMENTAL GRAPHIC DESIGN

Branded Experience, Concept Design, Sculpture, Digital Design, Public Art
Cincinnati, Ohio

We collaborated with Emersion Design and the City of Cincinnati on this community project. We were tasked with designing interior and exterior public art installations. The installations needed to highlight each neighborhood represented by Cincinnati’s District 3 Police Station.

 

First, we initiated a series of public art workshops with representatives from each of the District’s 14 neighborhoods. Each representative helped guide us on defining characteristics of their neighborhood. Then, we developed a series of features to celebrate each neighborhood. The designs celebrated individuality while showing unity and pride for the District.

Exterior public art installation designed for Cincinnati's District 3 Police Station. Transparent LED fins highlight district's 14 neighborhoods.

A series of 14 columns, one for each neighborhood, was part of the original Emersion architectural design. They are different sizes and heights but all combine to form an entry promenade to the new station. We worked with public representatives to create a design that allowed each neighborhood to be unique. The design, when combined, also creates a dynamic, energetic feature. The installation celebrates the diversity, values, and uniqueness of the District 3 constituents.

Detail of neighborhood art and description printed on transparent fins attached to columns outside of the police station.

The final design incorporates programmable, colored LED lighting in each neighborhood column. This unique light feature helps highlight the individuality of each neighborhood and creates a unified statement. The light sculpture is intended to change periodically with custom programs. Different neighborhood groups can design the programs.

LED-lit fits stick out from columns as part of a public art installation designed for the Cincinnati District 3 Police Station

A 3D, bas-relief map shows the district and each neighborhood. The map is white with neighborhoods accented in different colors.

A custom, solid-surface map serves as the entry focal point to the station. The map acts as both a wall sculpture and a functional map that shows each neighborhood. We exaggerated topographical information to illustrate how geographical features define most of the neighborhood boundaries. The bas-relief feature also depicts color-coded locations of important neighborhood buildings and parks.

Detail of the bas-relief map as part of the public art installation designed for the Cincinnati District 3 Police Station.

Detail of one of the colored icons that represents different features on the bas-relief, 3D map designed for Cincinnati's District 3 Police Department.

Frosted vinyl panels on the window showcase different iconic buildings from the district's 14 neighborhoods.

A series of 14 frosted glass panels depict iconic architecture around the district.

 White Design Studio is a multidisciplinary design firm located in Columbus and Cincinnati, Ohio. We specialize in the design, production, and installation of integrated branding solutions. Our solutions orchestrate corporate identity, marketing, storytelling, environmental, photography, video, print and interactive elements. At White Design Studio, we believe the best way to communicate your brand’s story is through branded environments and experiences. We work with manufacturers, service providers, non-profits, architects and developers, agencies, distributors, governments and municipalities, and museums. First, we identify the work that a campaign, space, or interactive needs to do. We can then model a vision of what success looks like, and design to meet that vision. We are passionate about helping clients communicate their value through well-crafted storytelling, a consistent 2D, 3D, and digital design approach and expert production techniques.
Strategy: White Design Studio is your strategically-focused design source. Our marketing communications are custom-tailored to meet our customers’ objectives. Our creative solutions take many forms, but all are designed for maximum effectiveness. Each solution delivers key brand messaging to a wide variety of audiences.
Branded Experience: Sometimes called Environmental Graphic Design or Experiential Graphic Design, White Design Studio designs and creates strategic, compelling and memorable experiences. Our solutions deliver key messaging, branded specifically for each target audience. Workplace, Corporate Briefing Centers, Showrooms and Lobbies, Museum Displays and Exhibits, Retail Showrooms and Store Design are all great examples of White Design’s sweet spot of design, fabrication and installation capabilities.
Corporate Sculptures: At White Design Studio we design art with a purpose. Our interior and exterior, custom-designed sculptures help create iconic symbols for Communities, Municipalities, Non-Profits and Corporations. They embody the essence of a group by distilling their core brand messaging into a creative and unique 3D feature. Whether it’s interior or exterior sculptures, hanging mobiles in an atrium or a monumental courtyard centerpiece, Peter and his team collaborate with artisans to create one-of-kind expressions that tell your story in a memorable way.
White Design Studio operates most efficiently in the design sweet-spot between environments, identity, and communications. Comfortable stretching any direction, we are at ease designing for one element. But, we are at our best when we can combine each element to develop a fully integrated brand and messaging system. We collaborate with industry-leading professionals on large-scale projects, but can also comfortably operate as your single-source design partner. We partner with Developers, Architects, Engineers, Facility Managers, Creative Directors, Marketing Departments Advertising Agencies and other Design Studios.