NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA

The National Gallery of Australia opened in 1982 and houses the national collection within an iconic Brutalist building designed by Col Madigan. Under new leadership, the gallery has sought to reaffirm its founding spirit of bold and visionary acquisitions, exemplified by the controversial purchase of Jackson Pollock’s Blue Poles. This legacy continues today through contemporary initiatives such as Jordan Wolfson’s Body Sculpture, the gender equity program Know My Name, and the nationwide collection project Art Across Australia.

The brand captures the original and renewed spirit and ambition of the gallery and its brutalist architecture. At the heart is a new mark, where the intersection of the letterforms creates a central axis, reflective of the positioning as the centrepoint for art for the country, a convergence point as well as the triangular motif present in the physical identity. It is both symbol and language, adapting to scale with repetition, like the iconic gallery ceiling and as a platform for image.

A suite of typefaces was created to provide one confident voice with varied expression for specific contexts and individual campaign identities, uniting brand across many channels and applications, including publishing of the significant annual magazine. Storytelling supports gallery programming, enhancing the connection of artists and audiences to be truly national, accessible to all through on site, online and on tour experiences.

The task for the new wayfinding system was twofold: to enhance the visitor experience by making the gallery easier to navigate while encouraging exploration, and to introduce a design language that respects the past while supporting the future. The keystone of the wayfinding strategy is an intuitive gallery numbering system paired with an axonometric map. Directing visitors to numbers rather than exhibition names is clear and bold, a concept reinforced throughout the entire navigation system. Clusters of large digital screens serve as orientation hubs, promoting exhibitions and events, while the map enhances spatial awareness. The signage elements create a new overlay—a contemporary interpretation of an Australian institution.

The new brand has cemented the significance of the gallery for the nation and a new generation.