DUIVENTORENS 2021graphic design
signage
Signage for the Pigeon Towers (Duiventoren in Dutch) installation and exhibition at Mediamatic art center in Amsterdam by artist Arne Hendriks, with illustrations by Ben Hopley.
Pigeon Towers is an ongoing on-site exhibition at Mediamatic done by Arne Hendriks that delved into the architectural ingenuity of dovecotes—ancient structures designed not only to house pigeons but to foster ecosystems of interdependence between humans, animals, and their environment. The exhibition presented these towers as living sculptures, constructed from mycelium waste, embodying cycles of growth, decay, and renewal.
The signage system was conceived to reflect the ephemeral and evolving nature of the towers themselves. Mediamatic is known for its strict typographic identity built around Georgia. This constraint shaped the approach to hierarchy and rhythm within the signage: the real design challenge lay in handling the dual-language format. Dutch and English had to co-exist on every panel, and legibility had to be preserved without disrupting the flow of either. I achieved the balance through deliberate line spacing between the two languages which allowed interweaving of the texts without collapsing into each other.The result is a calm, readable system where both voices are visible and balanced. Evoking technical annotations while maintaining a gentle, observational tone, the text provided context without overwhelming the viewer.This project was also a quiet milestone. From initial layout explorations to production setup and final installation, every step—apart from the original copywriting—was led and executed by me. It was one of the first projects where I fully took ownership of the process, from concept to placement. That hands-on approach taught me not only how to shape visual communication in context, but how to hold space for a message—clearly, carefully, and with intent.