Dain Yoon  Graphic Designer
Info         Work         Archive        

    
Through the Pane
(2024)

DeMAKe: Dain Yoon
                  Maria Garsa
                  Arlo Robbins
                  Kathy Nam

In Through the Pane, our team DeMAKe responded to birds colliding with windows outside the BFA3 studio at CalArts by guiding students to the site, sharing the birds’ story, and inviting empathetic solutions to prevent further accidents. I contributed by leading the art direction and design, co-managing the project schedule, and creating signage and print materials.

The project unfolded in three parts—Wayfinding Signage, an Arrival Exhibition, and a Takeaway Object—each designed to engage participants from the birds’ perspective. Together, these elements combined narrative, design, and interaction to create a meaningful intervention that fosters empathy and protects birds within the built environment.




Design Philosophy:
Believing that emotionally resonant experiences are more lasting than those absorbed intellectually, we focused on
storytelling and strategically utilized both space and design to deliver it effectively.






Visitors start at the CalArts main gate and the tree-lined outdoor area, then move through the main building and exit back to the outdoors via a transparent door. This path is designed to let visitors experience the space from a bird’s perspective.

To ensure that the meaning embedded in each space is fully understood, we treated design as a translator. Without it, the spatial narrative cannot be effectively conveyed to visitors. Therefore, we first defined the significance of each space and dedicated our efforts to designing elements that clearly convey that meaning.


Art  Direction:
Our team members each have distinct design styles, so a shared design direction was established to create a cohesive final outcome. Inspired by origami, we based our illustrations on the shapes formed by folding paper, utilizing the creases as elements to form a unifying visual language for the project.

We also established a unified color palette. For typography, we chose Gardein as our main display font, its forms echoing the shapes of birds, and selected Archer as the secondary font to complement Gardein’s organic shapes with clean, linear forms.



1.

Outdoor Experience





Space:




In the outdoor space, visitors can experience an environment where birds fly freely.

  • Visitors naturally understand the birds’ perspective and the sense of freedom they experience in their natural environment.



Design:
To guide visitors along the path and signal that the experience is about birds, we introduced wayfinding signages that both attract attention and connect the space to the presence of birds.

  • Origami birds suspended from the trees at varying heights: illustrate how birds fly, perceive, and navigate their surroundings.
  • Stepping stones with fun facts about the birds: encourage visitors to engage playfully while learning more, and guide them.



2.

Inside the 
Main Building





Space:




Inside the main building, visitors encounter the collisions and stress that birds face when entering human spaces.

  • Visitors gain an intuitive understanding of the threats and limitations birds experience, strengthening empathetic engagement.
Design:
To guide visitors along the path as we are entering the building, we use wayfinding signage.

  • Origami birds attached to the walls: convey the constraints and tension imposed by human spaces.
  • ‘Follow the Birds’ sign: placed along the route to reassure visitors that they are on the right path. It also directs them to turn left, reinforcing the idea of following the birds.



3.

Transparent Door & Beyond





Space:




The narrow hallway leading to the transparent door lets visitors feel the heightened stress that birds face as they navigate human spaces.

  • Visitors gain anticipation for the final exhibition space and provide room for the “Be a Bird!” activity.


Design:
At the transparent door, visitors can observe birds that cannot pass through and remain stuck.

  • Origami Birds placed on the transparent door: illustrate the moment of collision.
  • Origami Birds decal on the floor outside: represents birds that fail to survive the encounter.
  • Be a Bird! activity: allows visitors to experience what it feels like to be a bird.



4.

Courtyard in front of the BFA3 Studio





Space:




BFA 3 studio window and courtyard is a large space that feels like a final destination.

Design:
In front of the BFA3 studio window, visitors are confronted with the consequences of birds colliding with windows.

  • Fallen birds on the ground: make the impact tangible.
  • Illustration patterns on the window and story panel: demonstrate a method to prevent birds from hitting the glass and tell the tragic story of the Papa and Mama bird families, deepening visitors’ emotional engagement.
  • Small bird tombstones: commemorate birds that have been lost and evoke sad feelings in the visitors.
  • Gift a flower activity: allows visitors to participate in a memorial ritual by placing flowers on the tombstones, fostering personal engagement and empathy.
  • Brochure and Origami Instruction: designed as a takeaway object in a square format with fold marks; when folded, it becomes a paper bird, giving visitors a tangible sense of bringing birds back to life by following the instructions.


@2025
Dain Yoon
Graphic Designer