George Ranch Visitors Center
Richmond, TX

Completed in 2023, this new Family Center’s home is modeled after Independence Hall in
Philadelphia – birthplace of the Declaration of Independence and our Constitution. The
Center’s mission is to promote an understanding that a nation dedicated to liberty and justice for all cannot exist without constitutional government. Through curriculum and programs for school groups, the University intends to pass our constitutional culture on to an increasingly diverse and multicultural generation of leaders.

Our main project began by conceiving visual and spatial concepts for exhibits for the main multi-purpose space. The goal was to use imagery and forms to help students realize how constitutional principles are relevant in their lives. While each Founding Father might be considered a sort of historic superhero, the plan here was to emphasize principles over personalities. We avoided using familiar colonial American visual motifs like flags and eagles. Instead, the built structures have an industrial look to subtley convey a modern-day superhero research laboratory where young people are challenged with thought experiments and activities. The graphic identity uses symbolism alluding to the periodic table and edgy textures akin to contemporary superhero movie trailers. Iconic characters and forms like the Statue of Liberty are featured as shadowy, mysterious figures.

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Completed March 2024