In the historic city center of Prague, a famed cultural monument is undergoing a modern transformation. After extensive reconstruction, what was once the Zenger Transformer Substation will be converted into the new Kunsthalle Praha space for art and culture. The contemporary art institution will open its doors in 2022, and it is already set to welcome its future guests with a sleek bronze logo made of 3D letters that climb the corner of the building’s neoclassical façade. The groundbreaking design was crafted by Studio Najbrt, a leading graphic design studio based in the Czech Republic.
The modern type embraces the building’s historic façade, melding seamlessly with the architecture as if it has always been there. The curving bronze typography translates the new art space’s identity into visual form, and its unique design makes the institution’s name visible from a number of different angles. The chunky block letters of the cast bronze logo are based on a vintage typeface from the 1930s. It was originally created by German designer Jan Tschichold around the same time the historic station was first built.
The 3D cast bronze letters themselves could be considered a work of art. To achieve the characteristic bend in the type that allows the characters to hug the corner of the building so perfectly, the Czech design studio had to go through a series of tests and modifications of the design. And they initially used various paper models and visualizations to assure the correct angle in each letter’s hinge. According to the studio, this ambitious project is their “biggest realization of typography in public space” thus far.
Scroll down to see more images of Studio Najbrt’s stunning bronze logo design for the new Kunsthalle Praha art museum in Prague. For more from the Czech design studio, you can visit their website and follow them on Instagram.
Stunning 3D bronze letters curve to hug the neoclassical façade of a historic building in Prague.
Studio Najbrt: Website | Instagram
Kunsthalle Praha: Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
h/t: [Colossal]
All images via Studio Najbrt.
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