necropolis of beit she'arim
In Professor Douglass Scott's Graphic Design Synthesis class, students were told to pick a UNESCO World Heritage site and create a brand design for it. I chose the Necropolis of Beit She'arim, a series of catacombs in Israel.
Note: my interest in Jewish history and culture is not connected to any type of support for the actions of the Israeli government or military.
Variable Logos, 5th Element,
Typeface, & Colors
Despite never going in person, I was able to find many useful pictures of the catacombs and the intricate stone carvings inside. A fascinating part of these carvings were the animals, which, despite being carved in the 2nd century, resembled cartoon characters. I along with stone-inspired colors, I took these carvings to make three versions of a logo to be used interchangeably. I also took a pattern used in many of the carvings and used it as a fifth element, which is used throughout the brand design.
Letters
One of the first pieces I worked on were these letterheads. Because of my three variable logos, I made three different versions of the letterhead.
Print Ads
Similar to the letterheads, I made a series of three magazine advertisements for a hypothetical MFA exhibition of photographs and artifacts from Beit She'arim. These advertisements are formatted for the New Yorker, and feature pictures of the site.
Business Cards
I decided to make a folding business card using the lion's figure and color scheme. When folded, the two sides come together to illustrate this lion character.
On-site Signs
One of the more complex assignments in this class was to create an informational sign on the site itself in seven different language. Because of the menorah motif used throughout the necropolis, I decided to treat each plaque as a candle on a giant stone menorah. I made sure this site would be accessable for all visitors.
Vehicle Wrap
I had never designed a vehicle before, and I chose a van that could be driven around the site in the desert climate and stand out against the warm sand of Beit She'arim.
Pamphlet
I decided to make the informational pamphlet in the form of a torah scroll. I printed the pages on a plotter and taped them together. I then made handles out of wood and stained them. Finally, I glued the paper onto the handles and made a band to wrap around the scroll and keep it closed.
