Scott Clowney - Wish You Were Here!

Visual Identity

Wish You Were Here! Vintage Postcards from Washington, D.C.
July 10–September 8, 2017

This exhibition showcased early-20th-century postcards of the nation's capital, providing a unique glimpse into Washington as a sightseeing destination. Over 300 postcards were reproduced from collections at the DC Public Library, the Historical Society of Washington, D.C., and the National Building Museum.

Topic panels were designed with textured backgrounds resembling the backs of vintage postcards, with quotes aligned to the themes.

Businesses

U.S. Capitol

Downtown

National Gallery of Art

Pennsylvania Avenue

Rock Creek Park and C&O Canal

Postcards were grouped into subthemes such as businesses, downtown, and Pennsylvania Avenue and displayed on panels mounted to gallery walls using gator cleats.

Elevation

A scavenger hunt with nine questions encouraged kids to explore the exhibition with open eyes.

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Objective_

Organize a postcard exhibition on a limited budget.

Approach_

After sourcing postcards from peer institutions, we organized them into six curated sections: Traveling to Washington, Commencing the Adventure, Navigating the City, Exploring Iconic Landmarks, Discovering Local Places, and Remembering the Journey. A few factors prevented us from displaying the originals: conservation requirements, security concerns, and budget constraints. As a result, we reproduced them and mounted them on panels. A custom visual identity was developed, inspired by the look of vintage postcards.

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Roles: Concept, Exhibition Planning and Design, Visual Design, Installation, Program Development
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Venue: District Architecture Center
Organizer: AIA Washington DC, with special thanks to DC Public Library, the Historical Society of Washington, D.C., and the National Building Museum
Editor: Mary Fitch, AICP, Hon. AIA
Printer: ABC Imaging
Installation support: Rostin Rostai