Environment Agency

Client: Environment Agency Abu Dhabi
Industry: Corporate
Year: 2017
Location: Abu Dhabi
Services: Full-service Art Consultancy and Art Production

Featured artists: Amer Aldour, Abjad Design Studio, Hussain Al Moosawi, Khalid Mezaina, Lama Khatib Daniel, Layla Juma, Mariam Abbas, Matt Ryder, Paul Thuysbaert, Stephanie Neville, Tarsila Schubert, The Attic, and Yousef Al Habshi

The intention of the rebranding project was to update the interior to reflect the vision and mission of the agency and communicate the important work they are doing to protect Abu Dhabi’s environment. The package included a number of information displays in addition to art from Emirati and UAE-based artists to support the local artist community.

The art collection features numerous highlights, including Matt Ryder’s diptych of large oil paintings, for which he made a trip to EAD’s protected area of Jebel Hafeet, to paint ‘en plein air’; Amer Aldour’s dramatic sculpture in the executive office lobby that features hundreds of fishing weights suspended in the shape of flowing waves; and Abjad Design Studio’s striking digital illustrations that were printed as floor-to-ceiling wallpapers as features for each floor’s main reception. Other commissioned artists included: the Attic art collective; Khalid Mezaina; Mariam Abbas; Paul Thuysbaert; Tarsila Schubert; and Yousef Al Habshi.

Aside from utilising EAD’s own collection of stunning nature photography, we commissioned Stephanie Neville to create a series of textile installations inspired by Abu Dhabi’s mangroves. Layla Juma also created two sculptures, one which was acquired and another that was commissioned called the ‘Cuckoo Wasp’ - a testament to a species of wasp that was discovered by EAD.

EAD’s wayfinding also required redesigning, and our team devised a concept for the wayfinding package inspired by EAD’s work mapping and protecting Abu Dhabi’s water, land and air habitats. Lama Khatib Daniel was commissioned to create illustrations relating to these three themes, which were developed into a series of window films. We also collaborated with wayfinding specialists, LIMAH, to develop our design story into a comprehensive signage package that covered everything from floor directories to individualised cubicle signs.

In addition to art, Capsule Arts worked closely with EAD to develop information displays throughout the office, including copywriting services. We worked with Emirati infographic designer Hussain Al Moosawi for a number of displays, which included a series of infographic panels that detail key areas of the agency’s work such as EAD’s protected areas, and the story of how EAD has brought the Arabian Oryx back from the brink of extinction. Capsule Arts Studio also conceived and fabricated a number of displays in-house, notably two major freestanding displays focusing on EAD’s timeline and hugely significant habitat mapping project.