Later Came Early shows us how to smoothly bring an exhibition identity into the physical space

It can be tricky to make a physical space reflect an identity, particularly on projects with smaller budgets, as is sometimes the case with exhibitions. For those looking for inspiration, the identity behind for Later Came Early, an exhibition showcasing the work of 15 international creatives at Fabrica Research Centre, Treviso, offers a great example of using a simple concept to tie elements together. Designed by Lucía Peralta, Lydia Murray and Mei Girault, the identity, just like the wider exhibition, is centred around the idea of time, and uses orange tape to nod to the idea of timelines, act as a visual anchor for the identity, and function as a clever wayfinding device for exhibition visitors.

The design team leaned into the concept of timelines for the whole identity, allowing it to “connect each of the artworks under the same central theme”, explains design team Lucía, Lydia and Mei. “Each project highlights the notion of time in their individual way,” the design team continues, “[the timeline] acts as a universal motif in all the projects that knits them together.” Orange timelines are present throughout corresponding digital assets, on top of project previews and social videos. But it also appears as orange tape in the exhibit, used as a wayfinding device to lead visitors to each work and mark “moments of time in the exhibit”.

Motion design on the identity pays homage to time too, particularly its habit of moving too fast or slow depending on your perspective; the orange timeline appears at varying speeds throughout digital assets.

The decision to harness a bright orange colour palette was also tied to considerations around the exhibition’s setting. Set against Tadao Ando’s grey, minimal architecture at Fabrica Research Centre, the design team opted for a colour that would juxtapose the space, and stand out enough to work as a distinct wayfinding method. To support the identity, the design team opted for a clean, modern, sans serif type, Nimbus Sans, to “complement the main visual elements without competing with the overall image, text and body copies”.