The Box, Plymouth
Reflecting a museum brand through unique material palette and form
A wayfinding scheme that integrates seamlessly with a cultural centre’s myriad of exhibits, enabling visitors to celebrate Plymouth’s rich heritage.
The Box in Plymouth (the city’s new £46m cultural centre) is an impressive mix of old and new – an original museum housing a vast heritage collection, plus a bold extension and refurbishment. Appointed to provide wayfinding for the new attraction, we devised a strategy that helped to juxtapose and link past and present. Looking to tell the story of the architecture and reflect the museum’s brand, we tailored our designs to the unique material palette and façade. Through the concept of an ‘invisible grid’, the designs echo the cubic theme and give accent to key areas. The use of fret cut signage also enables visitors to see the heritage surfaces behind and the open spaces beyond.
Client: Plymouth City Council
Architect: Atkins