national park service temporary visitor center
problem
With Faneuil Hall closed for repairs, the National Park Service (NPS) had to move their visitor center and gift shop to a temporary location across from the Old State House. The temp space, in the bottom floor of an old office building, was occupied by a sea of cubicles on a drab gray carpet surrounded by beige walls. How could it be transformed into a warm, welcoming environment to greet Boston visitors and direct them to the historic sites around the city? And how could it be done in 4 weeks?
solution
Visual Dialogue collaborated closely with NPS to bring the space to life through super graphics and interior design solutions. A 28' x 9' window graphic featuring an illustration of a friendly park ranger immediately gets the attention of passers-by. Arrows and a list of historic sites lead visitors around the corner and under a hand-painted sign to the entrance. Inside, the space is transformed into an urban oasis with bright grass green flooring, plants, dark green walls, and raw wood furnishings. Large-scale maps are used to orient visitors while illustrations of iconic sites and historic images enliven the space. The components are also designed to be repurposed when the visitor center moves back to its original Faneuil Hall location.
