Design sightings in Portugal: 3) Art at the Berardo

Next up is some cool signage at the Museu Colecção Berardo’s in Lisbon’s Belém area.

As with the Cervejaria this is an example of injecting wit and character into something that usually only gets an afterthought.

What’s better. This (from the Oceanarium, also in Lisbon)?

Or this:

It’s clear which one is more likely to engage the audience.

And what about these reinterpretations of the humble toilet wo/man?

Even the floor numbering gets in on the act, showing you the number and the contents of the floor in a single chunk of typography.

As Jonathan Miller says, art is about “making the negligible considerable”, which this goes some way to doing. A great set of designs and particularly appropriate for a gallery of modern art, although it would be wonderful if utilitarian details were always this stimulating.