This article, “Space, Time, and Laboratories,” ran in Penn Arts & Sciences’ biannual magazine OMNIA. It was designed to highlight 65 years of research and discoveries that have taken place in Penn’s David Rittenhouse Laboratory in a visual and appealing way, while also making a case that the building needs to be updated. Known on campus (fondly or otherwise) as the DRL, the building houses the mathematics/physics and astronomy departments. We created a timeline of discoveries, breakthroughs, and awards by those two departments, interspersed with broader science news and pop culture references, and illustrated with a variety of photos, formulae, and archival images. An introduction by the associate dean of natural sciences framed the history of the building, the importance of these two departments to the university and the research community, and the changing circumstances of scientific support, setting the stage for a discussion about the future.
From the Judges
The designers on the panel adored this piece. They called it "quiet and confident," with a "visual voice appropriate to the subject." It made the most of archival imagery and mid-century graphic elements, including the palette. That palette was controversial among the judges, but most agreed that it worked for the story, which acknowledged an outdated but historically significant campus building (a mid-century classic) while making the case for investment in modern lab facilities. Creating an attractive, easy-to-follow timeline can be challenging, and this one was a success, packing in a lot of information and a variety of visual elements into a lively, engaging format.
