REGENSTRIEF INSTITUTE | ENVIRONMENTAL GRAPHIC DESIGN
Sculpture, Branded Experience, Concept Design, Production Design
Indianapolis, Indiana
Our latest sculpture represents a new breed of art installations and environmental branding. Instead of being purely decorative, we use custom sculpture and environmental graphics to tell a brand’s story. This statue tells the story of The Regenstrief Institute. It is emblematic of the Institute’s core values. The sculpture is also inspirational to employees and partners, and is an exciting centerpiece for their courtyard.
In 2015, we designed, fabricated and installed all of the environmental graphics for the Regenstrief Institute’s new facility on Indiana University’s medical campus in Indianapolis. We wanted to bring the Regenstrief Institute’s mission “Pathways to Better Health” to life. Our solution integrated engaging graphics and storytelling into the architecture and interior design.
While working on the inside elements, the client asked us to design concepts for the exterior courtyard. We wanted to build an exterior centerpiece that celebrated the Institute’s founders. Sam Regenstrief, and his wife, Myrtie, were iconic visionaries and philanthropists. Through technological innovation and cutting-edge healthcare research, the pair founded the Institute. Our solution represents the core values of the Regenstrief Institute and Foundation. But the art installation also offers a creative and inspiring environment for the employees and the surrounding community.
To see more about the environmental graphic design for this project, follow the link here.
Regenstrief Institute commissioned us to design a sculpture to honor Sam and Myrtie Regenstrief. Our art installation features two stylized wooden figures, representing the founding couple. We also wanted to pay homage to the Institute’s mission to “create pathways to better health.” Cables affixed to the figures’ fingertips support a 3D representation of the Institute’s mission. In other words, the Sam and Myrtie are literally supporting their mission for the Regenstrief Institute.
We also wanted to bring the phrase “connect and innovate” to life. To do this, we designed the courtyard with a series of pathways and nodes. These paths represent the different kinds of collaboration that are the cornerstone of the Institute.
To accomplish this, we first divided the space into three different sized pods or private areas. Then we selected a variety of seating configurations to encourage spontaneous connections. Located in the center pod, is the sculpture. It sits on a platform that doubles as a soapbox or as a bench for larger groups. Laminated wood makes up the construction of the two “humanoids” representing Sam and Myrtie. The stainless canopy above brings to life the idea of pathways and connections.
Peter White and his team from White Design Studio in Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio created several concepts for the centerpiece, sculpture design. Each idea was conceived to be an extension of the branding features located inside the institute’s new facility as well as a sculptural representation of the institute’s mission of Pathways to Better Health.
WDS assembled a team of consultants, fabricators, and installation professional to help bring our design to life — Basermatter consulted with us to create the model in 3D, Thorson Baker provided structural engineering services. Laminated lumber structures from Unalam were fabricated off-site and shipped to the site assembled. Sheil Sexton poured the stage and integrated lighting fixtures specified and provided by Steve Kolodziej from Specified Lighting Systems of Indiana.
Long-time partner, Tim Kane and his team from Vulkane, fabricated the canopy and installed the finished product. Design, engineering, fabrication and installation took approximately one year.
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.