Lutcher Stark Foundation
Exhibit and Interpretive Design
Wayfinding Consulting
For the restoration of Shangri La Botanical Gardens & Nature Center, fd2s developed a new graphic identity and designed and documented an environmental graphics program that helps visitors navigate the site and identify facilities such as an outdoor education center, classroom pavilions, and bird viewing blinds.
The site includes 200 acres of cypress and tupelo swamp and the historic Shangri La Gardens, which had been closed to the public for decades before its restoration. Today, the institution provides hands-on conservation learning opportunities for children and adults.
In addition to developing the program of wayfinding and identification signage, fd2s worked with the project’s exhibit specialist to create interpretive displays covering features such as a wetland water purification system that is restoring the balance of nutrients in the property’s Heronry Lake, which is home to as many as 5,000 birds.
“fd2s has been an indispensable partner on several occasions. The collaborative style in which they work enhances any project. The fd2s team digs deep to develop an understanding of the context and translate that into a story that delights the visitor. Their ability to distill complex ideas and pull together cohesive themes into a clear narrative is unparalleled.”
— Shannon Blakeman, Partner, CARBO
Photos by Philip LeBlanc.