This text-only record is part of the interactive AIGA Design Archives where you can view more details, zoom into images and explore other works in the definitive online resource on American design.
 |
Design Category
Environmental graphic design, 2000
Design firm
The Office of Eric Madsen (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
Collection
(2001) AIGA 365: 22
|
An AIGA/Minnesota fundraising effort was able to raise sufficient funds to permanently name the primary conference room at AIGA’s National Design Center “Minnesota.” The assignment was to recognize the firms and individuals from the Minnesota chapter who contributed to the campaign effort. The solution was to design something memorable and symbolic of the Minnesota environment. A snow shovel seemed appropriate. The only available wall space in the conference room was a pair of rather narrow surfaces between the windows facing Fifth Avenue. The shovel solution seemed ideally suited for this space, and two shovels seemed necessary for visual balance. With the exception of the bolts used in fabrication, the shovels are completely custom made. Even the handles were turned on a lathe. The blades are 12-gauge stainless steel. The type engraver and the stainless steel fabricator asked that I not bring them any more projects. The shovels took six months to fabricate.