Grand Central Terminal, the exquisite Beaux Arts rail and transportation hub in the heart of New York City, is undergoing a $175 million renovation to clean and restore the landmark building to its original intended glory. Envisioned to be more than a railway station, the terminal will now house more than 100 new retail stores and a variety of restaurants.

The barricades erected during the construction inform pedestrians about the conditions surrounding the renovation, and provide a medium for creative graphic presentations. To create a sense of excitement and anticipation about the renovation, Grand Central Terminal Ventures commissioned Two Twelve to design a system that expressed the near completion of construction and gave pedestrians a sense of what was to come.

Two Twelve developed the concept for the barricades using the unique style of Maira Kalman, an illustrator well known for her New Yorker covers and illustrated children’s books. The new barricade design is bright, cheerful, and warm. We presented five different subjects that highlighted the renovated facilities: the Grand Central Market, Vanderbilt Hall, the Main Concourse, and the Dining Concourse. We designed graphic intermediate separation panels that alert pedestrians to wayfinding and construction conditions. The panels were also used to acknowledge participants of the renovation and sponsors of the barricades.