The Challenge: 

VCU Life Sciences was preparing to open its new state-of-the-art headquarters and wanted to make a bold visual statement that reflected the innovation happening inside the building. The original request was for a simple banner announcing the new facility.
 

The Solution: 

Rather than thinking small, we proposed transforming the building itself into the message with a dramatic 49-foot architectural wrap spanning two sides of the facility.

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The concept needed to communicate what "life sciences" meant to a broad audience. At the time, advances in genetics, biomedical engineering, and molecular research were rapidly entering public conversation, yet the field itself remained unfamiliar to many. Our solution was to create a larger-than-life figure composed entirely of imagery representing scientific discovery—DNA sequences, thermal imaging, biomedical engineering, microscopy, and other breakthroughs that improve the human condition.

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The result was a striking visual landmark that celebrated the interdisciplinary nature of life sciences while giving the department an instantly recognizable identity.

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Installation day brought its own excitement as we watched from across the street, enthusiastically offering direction to the installation crew from our lawn chairs. We may not have won any popularity contests that afternoon, but seeing the finished piece towering above campus made every moment worthwhile.

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Affectionately nicknamed "GeneMan," the image quickly became a recognizable landmark on the VCU campus and in the Richmond skyline. Although the building has since been updated to reflect the university's current brand identity, the project remains a memorable chapter in VCU's visual history and an example of how thoughtful environmental design can create a lasting connection with a community.