The Wonders of the Sea

Identity Design - Playground

“Les Merveilles de la Mer” or “The Wonders of the Sea” is a deep- water dive on dry land. With its collection of rescued fish, fossilized creatures and intricate shells, the Museum encapsulates the mystical atmosphere of the ocean’s depths. The graphic identity follows this direction. Since light refracts when penetrating water, immersed letters do not appear solid.

The fragmented esthetics of the logotype mimic this phenomenon. As the sun rays penetrate the abyss, the shade of blue darkens. Because reds and yellows disappear underwater, they are rarely used. Applying physics’ laws to typography and color creates graphical biomimicry. The identity borrows the charms of the sea.

The museum’s signage is based on Minérale's extended glyphs set. These shapes have been used to create symbols that allude to the gallery’s contents : the diamond shape –a grain of salt– indicates the saltwater aquariums; the semicircles point to the invertebrate display.

A template has been created for the temporary exhibition’s posters. Each would have its title set in a typeface matching it’s theme. For instance, the eerie blackletter Respira by Sharp Type introduces the immortal and deadly jellyfish collection, whereas the organic Saint George by Triple Double Type is used to promote coral reef aquariums.

It is worth mentioning that red and yellow are rare in the palette as these colors are invisible in deep waters.