The Sun Machine
Is Coming Down

What an honour to assemble our type and design in- and outside of one Berlin’s most iconic buildings – the ICC.

Client
Berliner Festspiele

Year
2021

Services
Visual Identity
Key Visual
Poster
Print Media
Social Media
3D Animation
Trailer
Exhibition Design
Signage
Wayfinding System

Background
After 2 years of Covid-19 pandemic people were desperate to meet and explore the real world. End of 2021 the Berliner Festspiele transformed the Congress Centre Berlin (ICC) into a space for encounters and a vessel to other worlds. The project invited visitors to freely explore the architectural icon, which was open for ten days, in interaction with performances, circus arts, music, films, and installations.

Poster with large lettering and images of a building on a yellow circle in the background in an illuminated display case at night

The long-discussed ICC was brought back to life and transformed into a space for the arts.
We visually reinvented the ICC by creating a 3D collage of its most significant elements.

Poster with large lettering and images of a building on a yellow circle in the background

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Picture of a large building at dusk with a bold caption saying

Coating the spacecraft with type

Starting from outside we developed a typographic signage system which was to lead the audience through the exhibition.

Bodies, plants, sounds, discourses, and movement returned for 10 days to a spectacular space that was once state-of-the-art technology.

Woman in a water tank performing a kind of dance on the surface of the water — Photo: Eike Walkenhorst

Woman leaning on the ground in the foreground. In the background there are many people in a large area. A footbridge with plants is set up next to the woman — Photo: Eike Walkenhorst

Metal chains connected to rows of chairs. A stage with screens can be seen on the floor in the background — Photo: Eike Walkenhorst

Woman singing into a microphone. There is a lot of technology in front of her and the stage is colorfully lit — Photo: Eike Walkenhorst

Woman hangs with one arm on a bent pole with a neutral expression on her face. A room with a ceiling can be seen in the background. Black and white photo — Photo: Eike Walkenhorst

Man with guitar on a small stage in a dark room with red lighting — Photo: Eike Walkenhorst

Large dark hall, passively illuminated with fluorescent tubes. Black and white signs show the way

Various direction signs. Black and white with large lettering and arrows

Our specifically developed signage lead the audience through the exhibition without interfering the existing way finding system from 1979.

Full hall with escalators in the background. The direction sign is in focus

Large hall with closed-off folding seats, with an upward view. On the barrier tape is written

«We scanned the skies with rainbow eyes and saw machines of every shape and size and Peter tried to climb aboard but the captain shook his head And away they soared»

Banner around column advertising exhibition

View from above on the signpost for level information. People in motion in the background

Locked escalator with writing on tape. Dark surroundings

In front of the staircase is an exhibitor pointing the way. This is black and white and shows the floors and WC

Black and white sign with checkroom and WC information. Dark room with red glow sticks

Signs next to elevator door. Acknowledgements and floor information on black and white signs.

Old flickering black TV with white lettering in boxes

Behind a railing you can see an exhibitor pointing the way. This is black and white and shows numbers

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The Sun MachineIs Coming Down

The Sun Machine
Is Coming Down