In 2007, the Spertus Institute moved into a new building on Chicago’s Michigan Avenue. Designed by Krueck & Sexton Architects, the building has a dramatic 10-story faceted-glass façade, part of an architectural design that directly expresses the organization’s mission and values and provides a window into the world of Jewish learning and culture.

The Chicago office of Studio/lab worked with Krueck & Sexton to develop environmental graphics and a wayfinding system for the new facility. Like the architecture, the typographic system is a “study in light.” The key design element is a modern sans-serif font combined with a traditional serif italic font. Placed on two sides of the many interior glass surfaces, these two fonts combine to create a “flickering” effect, representing the candlelight of the Spertus logo brought to life in architectural space.

Large-scale glass directories located between the main elevators of each floor allow visitors to easily locate the variety of educational and cultural programming offered. Shadows created from the etched typography are very much a part of the design concept.

Spertus Institute Graphics and Wayfinding received a 2009 IDEA Silver award from IDSA and BusinessWeek, and a 2008 Honor Award from the Society of Environmental Graphic Design.

Studio/lab design team: Marcia Lausen (principal in charge), Jody Work (project manager/designer), Hillary Geller, Tim Wilson, Cheyenne Medina (UIC BFA 1999), and Meeyoung Melamed (UIC BFA 1999). [ more information ]