Once-Future Office

Once–Future AKG Signage Gundlach

Buffalo AKG Art Museum

Expanding a global contemporary art icon

  • Brand, Wayfinding

Collaborators: Wkshps, OMA, Cooper Robertson

As part of the Albright-Knox Art Gallery’s ambitious campus redevelopment and expansion, we executed a full strategic rebrand and comprehensive signage and wayfinding system for this renowned institution in Buffalo, NY. Using insights gathered from stakeholder workshops, our team, in collaboration with Wkshps, developed a flexible identity system featuring a new name, custom typeface, and an iconic, context-specific wordmark with variable punctuation. Working in close proximity to architects OMA and Cooper Robertson, we developed a gradated signage palette of tone-on-tone lettering and reflective metal to guide visitors between intimate, introspective spaces and more dynamic, social spaces that extend the museum’s community and global reach. The new Buffalo AKG Art Museum’s identity and signage system support the museum’s objectives to create a more community-focused, autonomous visitor experience across three architecturally unique and iconic buildings and a 146,300 GSF campus.

Once–Future AKG Signage Campus

Connecting a local, regional, national, and global audience.

Once–Future AKG Signage Wilmers
Once–Future AKG Signage Knox

Once-Future Office’s thoughtful, disciplined process allowed us to widen our focus from our history and renowned collection to our local community in a generous, harmonious way.”

Pam Hatley, Head of Publications & Digital Experience
Once–Future AKG Signage Wayfinding
Once–Future AKG Signage Gallery

Photos Marco Cappelletti, Renderings courtesy OMA