Giving new life to a historic brand.
You are here.
Where? Oh, you’re at the University of Pennsylvania. But you’re not just at Penn—you’re at the brand new Visitors Center. After the launch of the new Penn Admissions brand in 2018, the University was already thinking ahead about how the brand would live in a new, modernized physical space.
The new center, located in Claudia Cohen Hall, home to Penn’s College of Arts and Sciences, was transformed into the new Admissions Visitor Center. The updated space opened in Spring 2019 and houses thousands of visitors each year, giving campus visitors the opportunity to learn more through campus tours, information sessions and interacting with Penn students and admissions officers.
As visitors enter the lobby, they are welcomed by a beautifully illustrated campus map, alongside an intense motif of stripes amongst the Penn logo. When visitors make their way around to the lounge area and presentation room, they are welcomed by a series of four permanent glass photo installations that absorb the natural light and provide visual depth through the walkway.
The grand wallscape features a narrative that fuses the historic ethos of Penn and Ben Franklin’s persona. Historic treasures and illustrations are blended together with a montage of original student photography collected throughout the years, providing a diverse visual of the campus and it’s students. The design is intended to upwardly draw the eye and absorb the visual elements of the Penn narrative.
Across from the wallscape are two modern takes on iconic Ben Franklin quotes. The designs are intended to be subtle, blending into the background to contrast alongside the stark visual elements opposite of them. Outlined typography and both illustrative and photographic elements are juxtaposed to newly define the prophetic words of Ben.
