Case Studies
National Harbor
Location: Oxon Hill, MD - Client: Peterson Companies The awe inspiring flag portal concept was conceived by 505 Design for The Peterson Companies who have been actively developing National Harbor for nearly a decade. The portal is constructed of tapered exotic Sapele Mahogany columns. Much like its nautical inspired design, they are finished with a marine-grade varnish and waterproofed on the inside with an asphalting compound for added durability. The flag element was fabricated using aluminum “ribbons”, bent and custom painted as red, white and blue and interwoven between taut stainless steel aircraft cabling, reminiscent of a sailboat spreader. The structure incorporates brushed stainless steel decorative elements and is topped with illuminated nautical beacon light fixtures.
Cadence at Crown
Location: Gaithersburg, MD - Client: Bozzuto For Cadence at Crown, a brand new luxury apartment homes in Gaithersburg, MD, the client wanted signage that didn’t just sit on top of the canopy. So we designed and built a canopy surround with translucent panels, circles that echo the logo and illuminated letters on the front. The blade sign carries the circle pattern as well.
McHenry Row
Location: Baltimore, MD Lighting the way to innovation, Art Display Co. gave an iconic Landmark a futuristic makeover for the mixed use project at McHenry Row. The signature water tower, soaring 153 feet high, gave us a great opportunity to provide the customer with an illuminated sculpture with eco-friendly LED lights encircling the roof and climbing up the four support legs of the tower. Additionally, 4 feet tall face-illuminated channel letters and 8 feet tall stars created instant recognition for the project. Unable to bring cranes onto the pavers, scaffolding was erected around the tower. When the tower lights turned on, the light reflecting against the structure made an extraordinary light show, thus providing an opportunity for the breathtaking and structurally artistic photo below.
The Blairs
Location: Silver Spring, MD An important anchor to the community of Silver Spring, MD for many years with a large residential and retail posture, The Blairs recently underwent a “transformation.” Given a direction towards keeping a “green” theme and a timeless presence, they selected a design reflecting these characteristics. With polished, bent stainless rods alluding to flowing grasses placed on each side of polished granite faced cabinets with halo-lit stainless steel letters identifying each part of the community’s differently branded developments, this theme reflects the quality and longevity of The Blairs.
Legg Mason
Location: Baltimore, MD Legg Mason awarded us the contract for their International Headquarters in Baltimore’s “Harbor East.” The all glass curtain wall presented some interesting challenges for the installation of these 12’-9” and 10’-9” tall letters but our experienced staff teamed with Trainor Glass and Streuver Bros, Eccles and Rouse to develop a system that meets this challenge and showcases our range of skill sets.
Pulte at Potomac Yards
Location: Alexandria, VA Lyons and Sucher designed a sales center unlike any other for Pulte Homes at Potomac Yard. Art Display Co. brought their vision to reality with quality fabrication and installation of both the exterior signs and the interior displays. The center features a variety of digitally printed graphics covering three walls and two tables – one for the model of the property and one for the clients to sit and study plans. The large, high model table showing the entire development was built in one piece. According to the developer, the best marketing tool proved to be the 10’ x 23’ digitally printed aerial map mounted directly to the floor in front of the model table. The rear of the sales center displays murals, which convey the marketing message without using words. Exterior dimensional lettering on the facade of the trailer completed the project. Lyons & Sucher won the Gold medal at the International Builder’s Show in Orlando, FL for the Potomac Yard Sales Center and we are proud to be a part of their success.
West End 25
Location: Washington, DC Like a staggered deck of cards, Shalom Baranes Associates’ design made an elegant statement at the entrance to this upscale DC apartment. With the name “West End 25” cut-out of from nine ½” x 37” x 37” aluminum plates spaced 4” apart and mounted onto a central post, we were proud to fabricate this sculptural piece that won accolades from developers, architects and residents alike. The architectural entrance mark is featured as an Honorable Mention in the Unique Signs Category in the 2011 “signs of the Times” International Sign Contest.
Butterfly Pavillion
Location: Washington, DC The Butterfly Pavilion, which opened in February 2008 on the second floor of the Natural History Museum, is a tropical garden contained in a cocoon shaped structure. Art Display Company was contracted to develop the structural drawings, fabricate and install the organic shaped resin and aluminum enclosure. It’s comprised of welded vertical aluminum ribs and horizontal cross members covered with custom curved 3-form resin panels. Art Display also fabricated the glass entrance and exit enclosures, which are sealed to prevent the butterflies from escaping.
Solaire
Location: Silver Spring, MD Washington Properties wanted something artful for their Silver Spring, MD, LEED Gold-certified, apartment complex and our lead designer, Diana Cheshmedjiev , exceeded expectations as this internally illuminated, free-standing sign won second place in the 2012 “Signs of the Times” International Sign Design contest. Polished aluminum rings reflected the Solaire logo and the main cabinet included backlit letters projecting 1/2” from the face and a ring of blue LED light illumination around the entire cabinet’s return.
The Flats at Atlas
Location: Washington, DC This interior, illuminated blade sign won recognition in the 2012 “Signs of the Times” prestigious international competition for best sign designs. Taking the concept design from the award winning DC firm “Design Army,” we developed the concept into shop drawings and fabricated the 32’ 4” x 2’ 9” sign transforming an outstanding design into an outstanding sign for Clark Construction and Bozzuto Management! With the top letters reading “The Flats At” LED halo illuminated and the bottom letters reading “Atlas” fabricated into the cabinet and edge lit, this unique design garnered kudos from around the world.
The Shops at Wiregrass
Location: Wesley Chapel, Florida The Shops at Wiregrass is an open-air retail and entertainment destination located in Wesley Chapel, Florida.It is Pasco County’s newest Shopping Center, encompassing 800,000 sq. ft. of retail, restaurants and entertainment shops. The main identification consist of a 25ft tall sculptural “W” that looks like blades of grass and internally illuminated channel letters. The “W” has welded aluminum frame covered with white painted fiberglass skin. The sculpture is illuminated by changing, multi-colored Kinetic Light system. The letters are mounted onto two separate curved raceways. “The Shops” sit 4ft behind “at Wiregrass” allowing landscaping to be installed around the sign. The directory sign’s unique 10ft tall pole is fabricated from 6 pipes with different diameters and a light fixture built into the concrete footer. Light shoots up between the staggered pipes emphasizing the “grass shoots” growing. The directory is a double sided internally illuminated cabinet with decorative 1/2in thick painted aluminum “grass blades” welded to the post.
Trilogy
Location: Washington, DC - Client: MCR Trust This internally illuminated, blade sign design exemplified how the client, MCR Trust, and our design / fabrication team worked together to make an extraordinary identification mark to this latest addition the DC’s hottest neighborhood – NOMA! Opening the sign cabinet with a cut-out, diamond design, lessened the wind load on the sign and created a textural background for the illuminated, channel letters and logo.
Uncle Julio
Location: Woodbridge, VA Uncle Julio’s new location opened in Woodgridge, VA with a feast of food, drinks and colors. The radiant signs contribute to the exterior atmosphere and color reflections from over 500 linear feet of running neon add to the patio ambiance. Channel letter signs adorn three sides of the building; and a bright yellow arrow sign points towards the entry. It uses over 200 mixed white, yellow and clear bulbs per side and the perimeter is outlined in ruby red neon. A cylindrical sign with internal illumination, green LED lights and Uncle Julio medallion at top outlined in blue neon is cheerfully greeting visitors as they approach the restaurant.
Wisconsin Place
A 35-foot tall Light Tower designed by sculptor and outdoor artist Athena Tacha was recently fabricated by Art Display Company and installed at Wisconsin Place’s north plaza in Chevy Chase, MD. The Sculpture sits in front of the Whole Foods entrance and is fabricated from 6 inch steel poles and red, blue and amber Sloan LED lamps in “W” shapes of different sizes. At night the W-Tower is animated with W’s appearing and vanishing in mid-air. Tacha’s other works at the development include an obelisk sculpture with an LED light display in the south plaza and a light sculpture above the pedestrian arcade. Check out a video clip of the art at Wisconsin Place.