OSU School of Music Wall

CLIENT Ohio State School of Music - The Ohio State University

ROLE Project management & design for Impact Wall, Print production management

CREDIT Project management & Design for Timeline wall: Emily Holt, Advisor: Yvette Shen

BACKGROUND

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of music education and the musicians of The Ohio State University School of Music, the client commissioned a design for a newly installed Legacy Wall in the South Commons of the Timashev Family Music Building. Located in the main lobby, the wall is actively used by students and faculty. The goal of the project was to create a space that honors and reflects the School of Music’s history while engaging and welcoming students and visitors.

Empty wall

Book Images provided by client

DESIGN CHALLENGE & PROCESS

The archive of 100 years of music history initially felt overwhelming in both scale and complexity. To address this, we worked closely with the client to categorize and prioritize key content. This led to a two-wall strategy with distinct narratives: an Impact Wall on the horizontal surface and a Timeline Wall on the vertical surface.

The project began with designer Emily Holt organizing archival photographs for the Timeline Wall. Together, we researched timeline-based infographic approaches to determine an effective visual structure. The images were treated in black and white, and subtle geometric graphic elements were used to visually connect each photograph within the background.

The Impact Wall measures 270 inches wide by 82 inches high. A grid system was used to divide the wall into six sections, allowing 85 images, two maps, and text elements to be placed while intentionally avoiding the bottom portion of the wall. Balancing images, typography, and graphic shapes evenly across the surface was a key design challenge. Visual hierarchy played a critical role in determining image scale and placement.

After finalizing the layout, ensuring legibility at architectural scale became a major concern. Multiple iterations of type size were tested to achieve optimal readability once printed and installed. To add depth and visual emphasis, non-glare acrylic plates were applied to approximately half of the design elements. Precise wall measurements were essential, as the final design was printed on five long WallNOODLE sheets that extended from ceiling to floor.

IMPACT

The 100-year celebration unveiled the wall during a ceremony attended by over 100 people. Today, passersby—including alumni, faculty, and students—can read, reflect on, and enjoy 100 years of the School of Music’s history through the installation in the hall.

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