Motiska Design* was initially charged with signage system for Charlotte, the largest city in the Carolinas. However, early research indicated the need for a new visual identity and the firm took the initiative to respond. As a result, it was recommended to city representatives that the project also include the development of a new logo and guidelines for its application. The city-wide system was conceived in concert with a population that prides itself for its lush foliage, adding the need to keep the environment and cityscape foremost in the designers' minds. Between 1985 and 1988, the firm assisted the city with the implementation and application of this new image initiative to include production of a preliminary visual identity design control book, development of place brand design, signage, vehicle graphics and a comprehensive sign systems for the Parks and Recreation Department.
*work done under firm’s previous name Design/Joe Sonderman

Client City of Charlotte
Location Charlotte, NC
Services Signage System, Visual Identity, Place Brand, Logo, Branding Guidelines

Like many small-town businesses, Rudnick Jewelers had a website. The website did not represent their unique identity within jewelry store merchants. Motiska Design worked with them to find out what made their store different and capture their brand essence.

Rudnick Jewelers is a fourth-generation family-owned business. This is one key that sets them apart from any other store located within the county of Sheboygan. We wanted to capitalize on this and designed a website for them that would showcase their knowledge and brand style.

Rudnick Jewelers now has an online presence that represents who they are.

Client Rudnick Jewelers
Location Sheboygan, WI
Services Website Re-Design/ Build

www.rudnickjewelers.com

Kiawah Island is an environmentally sensitive developed master-planned community that has maintained a reputation as one of the country’s premier resorts. Since its initial development in 1976 Kiawah Island has consistently been ranked as one of the top golf resorts, noted for its outstanding tennis facilities and more recently for the addition of a world class resort hotel, The Sanctuary.

There were few precedents set when our firm originally designed the sign system (designed by the firm’s founder Joe Sonderman) and the multi-disciplinary approach that was utilized has evolved into a new design discipline now known as Environmental Graphic Design. Since the original development academic research has provided us with new insights into the design of wayfinding signs and their effectiveness. The design of signs for planned communities has two primary objectives; pragmatically to enable visitors to more easily navigate unfamiliar surroundings and strategically to help brand the community. From a creative perspective we look to enhance the visitor’s experience and help to create a “sense of place” that sets the community apart from its competition.

Client  Kiawah Island Resort
Location  Kiawah Island, SC
Services  Signage System, Visual Identity, Logo, Branding Guidelines

When Motiska Design* was given the task of renovating the Medal of Honor museum aboard a World War II vintage aircraft carrier turned museum, they advocated doing something unique. Visitors are immersed in an array of multi-media events that tell the stories of select recipients from the perspective of family, friends and fellow servicemen. *Work done under firm’s previous name DJS Design

“It was absolutely breathtaking -- the tightness in the chest and water in the eye."
-Gray Littrel, President,
Congressional Medal of Honor Society

Client  Congressional Medal of Honor Society
Location  Charleston, SC
Services  Signage System, Visual Identity, Logo, Branding Guidelines

Download PDF

Like many small towns in the south, Newberry was suffering from economic displacement and to stimulate the city’s economy town leaders restored their historic Opera House to attract visitors to downtown and used a marketing consultant create marketing plans to promote business in the downtown area.

A new logo was developed featuring the iconic tower of the Opera House and a new sign design utilizing a color palette that is associated with two of the city’s landmarks, Newberry College and the County Courthouse were created to enhance the downtown brand.

In addition to conventional wayfinding signs, a series of “trailblazer” signs lead visitors from major roadways to downtown; welcome signs mark visitor’s arrival and street signs help to define downtown’s boundaries.

The result is a sign system that revitalizes downtown Newberry’s identity and creating a better visitor experience to boost the economy.

Client  City of Newberry
Location  Newberry. SC
Services  Wayfinding Sign Plan, Place Brand Design

Download PDF

Looking to elevate their awareness as a tourist destination and attract additional attendance, the Charlotte History Museum selected Motiska Design* to create a new cornerstone exhibit based on one of the region’s most distinguished citizens, world-renowned evangelist Billy Graham.

Working with the museum’s staff and the Billy Graham Evangelical Association the design team created an exhibit unique to the museum’s traditional artifact band diorama based displays Exhibit Design by creating a series of vignettes that set the stage for multi-media interactive experiences bringing to life each decade spanning Graham’s sixty year career.

The exhibition traces Graham's life and ministry from early childhood to his present day worldwide crusades. Delineating Graham's life work enabled the design team to connect with the local community by linking the region’s history and story of this strongly religious community. *Work done under firm’s previous name Design/Joe Sonderman

Client  Charlotte History Museum
Location  Charlotte, NC
Services  Exhibit Design, Place Branding

Mizzou Athletic Training Center

While the recent $16 million renovation and expansion of the Mizzou Athletic Training Center provided the University of Missouri Tigers football team with one of the nation's finest collegiate athletic facilities, the environment did not communicate the football team's unique brand or provide a platform for coaches to sell the program to recruits.

A Design Audit conducted by Motiska Design revealed that the team's success could be traced back to Coach Pinkel's nicknaming the stadium "The Zou." A name that embodies an ethos built around protecting their home field against all challengers.

Design enhancements create a visual brand identity for "The Zou" within the environment through a bold yet sophisticated use of the team's black and gold colors, graphics and multi-media technology to help tell their stories.

Client  University of Missouri
Location  Osage Beach, MO
Services  Environmental Design, Place Brand Design, Exhibit Design

In 1981, a new museum known as Discovery Place opened its doors at 301 North Tryon Street with 72,000 square feet of space. Discovery Place Science is a science and technology museum for visitors of all ages located in the Uptown area of Charlotte, North Carolina. Discovery Place Science brings science to life through hands-on interactive exhibits, thrilling activities and experiments, an IMAX Dome Theatre, and boundless other educational opportunities and programs.We were in charge of designing the logo, enviormental design and hands on exhibits. Putting our focus on children in the age range of Kindergarden - Fith Grade, This helped the museums successfully draw familes and schools from across the region.

As the needs of the community grew, the facility expanded. In 1986, exhibition space was added to accommodate traveling exhibitions and in 1991 The Charlotte Observer IMAX® Dome Theatre opened as the first giant-screen motion picture theatre in the Carolinas. The Carol Grotnes Belk Education and Parking Complex was completed in 1996.

Client  Discovery Place Science
Location  Charlotte, NC
Services  Visual Identity, Logo, Enviromental Design, Exhibit Design

University on North Carolina/ Charlie Justice Hall of Honor

Occupying the Lobby/Reception Center to the newly expanded Kenan Football Center, the hall chronicles the history of UNC football and features past teams and players. It features displays of historic memorabilia, and honored players through visual presentations, eye catching action graphics, awards. Four audio visual interactive displays feature components located in the center of the expansive hall of fame.

Client  University North Carolina
Location  Chapel Hill, NC
Services  Environmental Design, Place Brand Design, Exhibit Design

Download PDF

Working with the city planning staff and Chamber of Commerce, Motiska Design created an inventory audit of signage needs for the area. They sought to simplify signage information for clarity and ease of recognition. The firm designed a wayfinding system that directs, informs and orients visitors and residents alike as they approach the downtown of Raleigh via six designated corridors. The unified sign system incorporates signs of various sizes, giving maximum flexibility for sign placement and function. Intended for both vehicular and pedestrian use, the system not only provides directions, but identifies selected districts by place branding, destination points and parking facilities. The program continues in its on going implementation throughout the district.

Client  City of Raleigh
Location  Raleigh, NC
Services  Signage System, Visual Identity, Logo, Branding Guidelines, Place Brand Design

The firm was retained by the State of North Carolina Zoological Park to develop the master graphics, signage and controls system for Africa, the zoo‘s first major habitat. The project was conceived as a method of creating informational and directional devices, structures and mediums which assist visitors to the zoo in a consistent and understandable manner. The program imparts specific information on the animal species, while it facilitates controlled pedestrian and vehicular traffic through the zoo environs. As these habitats range in size from 1 to 100 acres, the animals are not always close to the viewer. Hence, the need for a more detailed information system. The project completion is based on a twenty-year expansion covering 1,371 acres, making it one of the largest natural habitat zoological parks in the world. The program received the Award of Excellence for Signage from Communication Arts Magazine.

Client  North Carolina Zoological Park
Location  Asheboro, NC
Services  Signage, Graphic Standards, Interpretive Signs

Download PDF

Working with the center’s staff and architect, developed the exhibits for the Free Enterprise Hall of Fame, a 2,500 square foot permanent exhibit honoring the career of Senator Helms and paying tribute to our country’s free enterprise system. The exhibit area features a display with interactive audio-visual programs covering Senator Helms’ historic address to the United Nations Security Council on January 20, 2000.

The center’s Hall of Fame honors North Carolina enterprise and enshrines four inaugural inductees, entrepreneurs William H. Belk, Charles A. Cannon, A.J. Fletcher and R.J. Reynolds. Freestanding kiosks display bronze plaques honoring the inductees and house interactive touch-screen computer programs that trace their lives and accomplishments, and interactive programs educating visitors about North Carolina’s economy.

Client  Jesse Helms Center
Location  Wingate, NC
Services  Exhibit Design

Motiska Design was selected with the team architect to create a noteworthy visitor destination at this historic site along the banks of the Cape Fear River. The walking time line featured a series of vignettes encompassing three distinct eras of the historic fort and settlement. By incorporating interactive stations, audio tracks and re-created structures and forest settings, the design team provided visitors with a unique approach to historic discovery.

Within the renovated display hall, the new exhibits and graphics engage each visitor along a meandering path including Pre-History, Colonial, and Civil War periods. The space allows visitors to examine the 40+ interpretive artifact exhibits and walk within forested archeological dig, a Colonial cabin, and a recreated Civil War bomb proof. Dramatic lighting and sounds effects heightened the visitor’s experience at this historic site.

Client  NC Department of Historic Sites
Location  Winnabow, NC
Services  Environmental Design, Exhibit Design, Place Brand Design

In an effort to emerge from the shadows of a declining textile industry, the City of Kannapolis developed place branding plans to transition from its foundation as a mill town to a viable center of commerce. Place brand plans included the creation of a new visual identity to signal their transformation and move their strategic plans forward.

Motiska Design was challenged to reposition the municipality while not breaking all links with their historical roots. Place brand design objectives were also focused on creating a system that could be economically implemented. Motiska Design fashioned a logo that borrows from the city center's historic colonial inspired architecture; incorporating a contemporary feel, yet speaks to the community's distinguished past. A simple color scheme and flexible guidelines provided the city with a system that was very economical to put into place and easily adapted as various needs arise.

The identity program has served as the foundation for a strategic economic and marketing plan that has revitalized the city, transforming Kannapolis into a thriving community that will soon be home to a major leading-edge bio-tech research campus.

Client  City of Kannapolis
Location  Kannapolis, NC
Services  Place Brand Design, Signage System, Visual Identity, Logo, Branding Guidelines

Approaching their bicentennial, the University of South Carolina's reputation had begun to suffer. To reinvigorate their image the school's leadership sought to establish a new visual identity that was more reflective of their goals, to help re-establish their reputation and celebrate their historic anniversary.

Market research and an investigative design audit lead Motiska Design to recommend a visual identity that would reflect the university's position as the flagship university of South Carolina, incorporate a popular historic campus landmark -- presenting an identity that is both historic and forward looking.

The solution combines a Palmetto tree, a graphical representation of South Carolina, underscoring their prominent position and the university's statewide system of institutions. Gates referring to the entrance of the venerable campus Horseshoe; while representing the school's historic roots it also symbolizes the gateway to higher education. In celebration of their bicentennial the mark incorporates the institution's founding date 1801.

The logo has met with enthusiastic support and is strongly associated with a sterling image that the university now enjoys as is moves into a third century of service.

Client  The University of South Carolina
Location  Columbia, SC
Services  Signage System, Visual Identity, Logo, Branding Guidelines

To avoid being overshadowed by the rapid growth of the neighboring city of Charlotte, 11 miles to their north, and to guide their growth -- establishing the city of Rock Hill as one of South Carolina's major cities, city leaders developed an ambitious place brand design plan entitled Empowering the Vision.

Working with city planners Motiska Design set an objective of establishing a visual identity that would reflect the energy and aspirations of their place branding vision plan while distinctly differentiating them from their “neighbor to the north” and joining their rightful place among South Carolina's major municipalities.

The mark developed by Motiska Design represents the six themes of the place branding vision plan: Business, Education, Historic Preservation, Environment, Arts & Culture, and Transportation & Utilities. Six stylized arrows moving toward a central focus, drawing strength from their common purpose. A bright color palette helps to distinguish the logo and the trademark ligature in the logotype is a visual tie to the firm's logo design for nearby Winthrop University.

The visual identity has stood at the forefront of distinguishing the City of Rock Hill and helping to achieve the growth they envisioned.

Client  City of Rock Hill
Location  Rock Hill, SC
Services  Visual Identity, Place Brand Design, Logo, Branding Guidelines

North Carolina State University/ Finley Hall of Champions

As the primary entry feature into the new 103,000 sq. ft. Murphy Football Center, the exhibit serves as the introduction to the NC State Football program. Motiska Design created a dynamic environment in the soaring 3-story space, reflecting the team’s storied traditions and their high-energy charge to future success.

Client  North Carolina State University
Location  Raleigh, NC
Services  Museum Design, Place Brand Design, Exhibit Design