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CaixaForum Valencia Signage

Signage
CaixaForum
Valencia

Signage strategy, auditing and analysis of flows and needs, system conceptualization, wayfinding design, graphic language development, and implementation supervision.

Integrate without invading. Guide without interrupting. Flow with the building that has its own personality.

These were our premises for conceiving the signage system of CaixaForum València, an extraordinary space integrated into L’Àgora, the iconic building designed by Santiago Calatrava located in the City of Arts and Sciences.

This singular container, reinterpreted as a living organism by architect Enric Ruiz-Geli, presents an unusual challenge: it is not about intervening in a neutral space, but rather in an architecture with its own narrative, a strong symbolic load, and a high spatial complexity. The task was to develop a signage and wayfinding system capable of organizing the visitor’s experience without competing with the building, but rather becoming a part of it.

Wayfinding
for exceptional architecture

The project began with a comprehensive audit of the space, carried out during the thinking phase. We analysed access points, visitor flows, friction points and actual user behaviour.
The diagnosis was clear: a lack of exterior signage, confusion around access points —particularly the entrance from the Oceanogràfic—, insufficient information hierarchy inside the building, and a general difficulty in identifying essential facilities such as exhibition spaces, the auditorium and restrooms.
This was compounded by a more fundamental issue: visitors did not fully understand what the space was or how to navigate it, directly affecting both their overall experience and the amount of time they spent there.

Based on this analysis, we defined a wayfinding strategy built around three objectives: optimising circulation, reinforcing the identity of the space, and creating a coherent, legible experience.
The aim was not simply to provide signage, but to structure movement within a non-linear environment whose architecture does not follow conventional spatial patterns. This meant approaching orientation across multiple layers: pre-visit, approach, access, internal circulation, and the overall understanding of the space.

Understanding the space
before intervening in it

Our proposal arises from the desire to align with the architect’s vision, which envisions the building as a living organism. An architecture conceived as a great whale, with cavities, organs, and systems coexisting in balance within a monumental structure. From this idea, we created an imagery of cells, structures, blood vessels, and droplets that connects naturally with the building and reinforces its meaning without diluting its identity.

We conceive signage as the information system that facilitates and guides people within this living organism known as CaixaForum València. An integrated network within the architecture itself and interconnected, it structures the journey and gives meaning to movement.

Like in any circulatory system, it’s not just about arriving, but how one arrives: distributing, connecting, and organizing intuitively. A continuous flow that traverses the space and accompanies the visitor without imposing itself. Because here, the signage is not added. It is integrated, adapted, and becomes part of the body. An invisible yet essential layer that makes everything function.

A language that emerges
from the building

At the design level, this idea translates into a system of organic pieces, white and with soft geometry, that engage with architectural forms. The materiality and formal language do not seek to invade but rather to accompany.

In the chants and details, a texture inspired by blood vessels and cellular structures emerges, serving as a visual thread for the system. This resource allows for the introduction of a narrative dimension without compromising clarity.

The typography and iconography remain aligned with CaixaForum’s global system for its network of centers —also developed by Madstudio— ensuring brand consistency. The rest of the visual language, on the other hand, is specifically adapted to the context of Valencia.

Translate complexity
into guidance

Given the formal complexity and unconventional geometry of the building, traditional floor plans were ineffective as a navigation tool. Instead of relying on technical representations, we developed a wayfinding system based on simplified illustrations of the space, capable of translating its organic shapes into understandable and easily readable pathways for the visitor.

Design
to belong

The design stems from the desire to integrate without imposing, to understand the space before intervening in it. Each piece, each stroke, and each decision reflects a balance between function and sensitivity, between clarity and respect for architecture.

The result is signage that not only guides but also accompanies the experience, engages in dialogue with the building, and integrates into it until it becomes part of its own language.