Centre of Metallurgy Tradition
Museum of metallurgy history in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski.
Project
The Center of Metallurgy Tradition in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski is a place that introduces visitors to the rich metallurgical traditions of the city and region.
My Role
I served as the lead designer for several sections of the exhibition and was responsible for executing shared elements of the display. Additionally, I acted as a DTP specialist for most of the presented materials.
My Tasks
Graphic design for all elements of five exhibition sections, creation of UX/UI for the game "Furnace Ignition," development of a 3D schematic of the facility, and execution of various other graphic elements throughout the exhibition.
My Achievements
To create accurate graphic elements, I had to deeply familiarize myself with the history and technology of steel production. I collaborated with experts who had extensive knowledge of the production processes but needed support in visually presenting them.
My proposals were evaluated not only for their aesthetic appeal but also for their accuracy. This project required me to delve into a completely new subject matter, proving that I can effectively tackle even the most challenging tasks.
Category
UX/UI Design
Graphics
Multimedia
Interior design
My role
Graphic Designer
UX Designer
DTP Specialist
Place
Ostrowiec Święt., Poland
Date
2022-2023
Used tools
Adobe InDesign
Adobe Photoshop
Figma
Adobe Illustraotr
Procreate
Introduction
The Center of Metallurgy Tradition is an exhibition divided into 13 sections, several of which were entrusted to me for development.
As a designer, I always focus on the aesthetics of my work. However, in this project, creativity had to harmonize with factual content. To create graphics aligned with the facts, numerous consultations and in-depth research were necessary.
Infographics
My tasks at the CMT (abbr. of Centre of Metallurgy Tradition) focused primarily on creating infographics. These included detailed maps, chemical tables, and schematics of various devices and buildings.
Work Process:
- At the beginning, I approach the project like an outsider, unfamiliar with the topic.
- By utilizing the knowledge of consultants and available sources, I delve into the process or history.
- Once I am fully familiar with the subject, I create graphics that convey this knowledge in a way that anyone can understand.
Large Format Printing
Large format printing, especially for backlit lightboxes, requires significant experience.
Typography
My task was to prepare all the text that appeared in the exhibition.
Drawings
How detailed should a drawing be if it only imitates a technical drawing?
The answer is: surprisingly little.
UX
One of my key projects was designing one of the most distinctive parts of the exhibition – an interactive game.
The game "Furnace Ignition" is unique. Its style is inspired by control panels in factories from the 20th century. The entire project was developed in collaboration with a metallurgical specialist.
Game Design Process: We began with several consultations during which initial sketches were created on paper. We established which elements of the steel production process were essential.
An authentic sketch by one of the specialists.
I converted the sketches into vectors in Adobe Illustrator, allowing for easy edits during further consultations. Several concepts for the appearance of the "control panel" were developed.
During testing, we repeatedly discovered weaknesses in the design, so I changed my approach. I created a schematic in Procreate, which gave me greater control and allowed for quicker adjustments.
This was a good decision that helped us quickly refine the final version of the design.
A fully functional prototype of the game was created in Figma.
Fonts and Colors
Title font – always in BOLD
Futura PT Cond
Text font – in Demi or Book
Futura PT
The color scheme throughout the project was quite complex. Each of the 13 sections had its own main color theme:
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
VIII.
IX.
X.
XI.
XII.
XIII.
Interior Design
Comprehensive projects also include interior design.
Several panels combine to create a coherent whole. During the design process, I had to consider the shape of the room and the distance from which the panels on the walls would be viewed.
I created a simple visualization of the room, filled with text panels and photos printed on lightboxes.
The final interior faithfully reflects the design. The visualizations allowed the investor to see exactly how each room would look.
Although I rarely work with 3D graphics, in this case, it was the best method to present the layout of the entire facility. Ultimately, a simple but aesthetic model was created.
DTP
From Design to Print – Visualizations Are Just the Beginning
The true quality of the materials can only be assessed at the completed exhibition. Thanks to many years of experience, I was confident that the final result would meet the expectations.
The Map – case study
Sometimes it's necessary to take a step back, as a good idea during the design phase may turn out to be suboptimal in execution.
For example, on the export routes map, we initially wanted to mark the paths with arrows. However, it turned out that in Europe, the routes were too densely packed.
We changed the concept, enlarging the European countries and eliminating the arrows.
This resulted in a much better final effect.
Conclusions
Working on the CMT exhibition required close collaboration with experts in the field of metallurgy who had no experience in graphic design. My visualizations had to be exceptionally clear, and the concepts simple and understandable.
An additional challenge was managing a complex project, including coordinating numerous files with text, graphics, and visualizations, which had to be accessible to the right people at the right time. Despite these difficulties, the project was a success.
The CMT exhibition leaves a positive impression, though it contains so much material that it's difficult to see and read everything in one visit. I'm satisfied with the results of my work – most of the static elements look great.
The interactive element of the exhibition is the game, of which I'm also proud. It’s my first project of this kind. As intended, the game isn’t easy, but with minimal knowledge gained during the visit, it can be successfully completed.