Castello Sforzesco


2014 – 2015
Castello Sforzesco

Identity
Wayfinding
On the occasion of Expo 2015, the Castello Sforzesco and the Municipality of Milan decided to promote an extensive renovation programme of the historic signage designed by Bob Noorda in the late 1990s and early 2000s, which required restoration and modernisation.

In agreement with the Soprintendenza del Castello and the l’Assessorato alla Cultura del Comune di Milano, Dondina Associati undertook a lengthy research and study project that would lead on the one hand to the conservative restoration of Noorda's design and on the other hand to the implementation of new directional signage and cultural information systems.
Starting from an accurate survey of all the iconographic and chromatic elements present within the courtyards and buildings, a mapping of the graphic elements to be used in the different declinations to signal the different Collections and Institutes present in the area was arrived at.

Starting then, from the font used by Noorda, the Rotis Sans, the design of the icons and pictograms to accompany the information signs was prepared.

For the historical Arazzi Trivulzio in Sala della Balla, a system of large-format captions was designed, to be read from a distance while standing comfortably.

Noorda's square-shaped totems, designed to provide information on art history, were supplemented with others in rectangular format and created on two different dimensional scales to clearly indicate the various masterpieces and their masters in the Raccolte Civiche and the Sale del Castello, such as Mantegna, Bramantino and, of course, Leonardo da Vinci with his monochrome frescoes.


Following the programme to overhaul the signage system, Dondina Associati created a new visual identity for merchandising.

Starting from the historical patterns of the friezes and architectural decorations on the exterior and interior of the buildings and redesigned for the occasion, shoppers, umbrellas, mugs, notepads, pens, pencils and bookmarks were created.

The work that involved the studio the most was the web design of the Castello Sforzesco portal because, in addition to presenting the main activities of the main institution, it had to apply the visual system to all the Museums and Institutes, such as the Museo d’Arte Antica, the Museo dei Mobili, the Museo delle Arti Decorative, the Museo Archeologico, Sala delle Asse, the Pinacoteca, the Museo degli Strumenti Musicali, the Pietà Rondanini, La Raccolta Bertarelli, the Archivio Fotografico, the Gabinetto dei Disegni, the Biblioteca d’Arte, the Ente Vinciano, the Medagliere, the Casva, the Trivulziana.


Dondina Associati
Via Ausonio 18, 20123
Milan – Italy
P.IVA 08391510156

Contacts:
info@dondina.it
+39 02 89403880


Dondina Associati
Via Ausonio 18, 20123
Milan – Italy
P.IVA 08391510156