Wayfinding system for the Museum of Humor and Satire

A guide through the world of Gabrovo humor.

 
Spatial Design + Illustration + Consultation & Supervision

Industry:

Art and Culture

Year:

2024

The Museum of Humor and Satire is an iconic institution housed in an old leather factory from the 1970s, repurposed during the socialist era. The building's complex architecture calls for a phased renovation to achieve a more modern and functional space.

Our task was to enhance the visitor experience by providing a clear route through the museum, one that preserves the living heritage of Gabrovo humor and satire.

Approach

To improve the visitor experience, we developed a clearly structured wayfinding system placed at key locations throughout the museum. The character of the museum inspired us to create a visual language reflecting the evolution of Bulgarian caricature and satire. Every element – from the thematic illustrations on each floor to the pictograms – carries its own joke. In this way, functional signage becomes small stories that extend the museum experience. "The cartoonist's hand," woven into the graphic system, connects the architectural fragments into a unified whole, so that the history of the genre can be felt at every step.

Credits:

Creative Direction: Tsvetislava Koleva
Graphic Design: Tsvetislava Koleva / Dayana Dorosieva
Illustration: Vesela Karapetrova
Animation: Vesela Karapetrova / Rumena Petrova
Client Service: Vera Schwartz / Venelina Miteva
Architecture: 7561 Architects
Photography: Studio Blenda