Purdue Solar Decathlon
The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon is more than just an event for teams to build a “green” house. It is an opportunity to create something new or different, to change how we live, and to communicate that with the world. My team was responsible for developing the visual communication strategy for the Purdue entry in the 2011 competition.
For this collaborative project, our top priority was to develop materials that engaged the audience, promoted INhome, and encouraged smart living. I utilized my creative problem solving, writing skills, and concept-driven design work to develop a visual identity for the Purdue INhome team, including tagline, handout, signage, and uniform. See how my team’s work is being implemented at www.purdue.edu/inhome.
For this collaborative project, our top priority was to develop materials that engaged the audience, promoted INhome, and encouraged smart living. I utilized my creative problem solving, writing skills, and concept-driven design work to develop a visual identity for the Purdue INhome team, including tagline, handout, signage, and uniform. See how my team’s work is being implemented at www.purdue.edu/inhome.
The handout we have designed is an accordion fold brochure, carefully planned out to be an effective, interesting, and useful takeaway piece for anyone visiting INhome.Conceptually, we thought it would be most advantageous to relate the innovation you’re putting into INhome with the general population. We’ve engaged the audience by developing the “from INhome to YOURhome” concept, telling them about what they’re seeing in the INhome, why it’s important, and how they might be able to immediately apply some of the things they see to their everyday lives and lower their energy impact. The main features of our handout include a photo timeline corresponding to the walkthrough, a floor plan with icons showing the main features of the house, explanations and at-home tips, the Purdue INhome statement, and a QR code directing viewers to the website. We designed the brochure to have a warm yet modern feel, relating back to the INhome.
The signage for the INhome is a set of three signs that mimic the structure, content, and idea of the “from INhome to YOURhome” brochure. The purpose of our signage system is to educate viewers, engage people, and encourage thought about what anyone can to do lower their impact on the environment.To maximize our level of communication and enhance a visitor’s experience, the first sign promotes important features of the INhome, the second sign illustrates how the features of the INhome work, and the third sign consists of a tip for YOURhome. This system can easily be adapted to detail any features you would like to focus on. The signs will be placed on the walkway railing at an angle so that they convey the information, will be seen without blocking the view of the house, and give visitors waiting in line an opportunity to learn more about INhome. In addition to the railing signage, a Purdue INhome sign will be placed in front of the house to attract visitors and promote our team.
Our Purdue INhome uniform design reflects the same clean, energetic style of the handout and signage system, for a cohesive look and recognizable team identification. To accommodate for variable weather conditions, we’re proposing a t-shirt and a weather resistant jacket. On the t-shirt, we’ve incorporated our graphic element wrapping from front to back for interest, and the Team Purdue logo shown visibly in the upper left on the chest. The back displays the INhome tagline, and leaves a large area to thank sponsors. Our weather resistant jacket keeps team identification consistent, even in inclement weather. The one-sided screen print keeps costs low, and leaves a spot on the front of the jacket for something extra, such as a name tag or team sticker.
