Images via

I love this idea!! So clever, one picture & multiple frames… 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 for each building floor. This signage for the home for the elderly in Hottingen, Zurich was esigned by Tina Koyama – Stäheli in collaboration with Aline Dallo, Julia Kind, and Kathrin Urban. You can see the project and read the design team’s rationale over on Behance.

I think this way finding signage design is simple, yet utterly brilliant. It makes art out of something usually considered boring, without losing the overall usability. The use of picture frames creates a homely, comforting impression but the number “jumping” from frame to frame creates surprise and visual interest.

This idea has given me some DIY inspiration – I’d like to try in with a monogram letter for my daughter’s room one day. To make it yourself, first buy some matching frames in various sizes, and lay out the design on a big piece of paper. You could either take a giant print out of one letter, or number, and cut it up, spreading it over multiple frames (the low-tech way). Or you could use InDesign or Photoshop to plan out where you will place the number over your layout, and print each piece individually (the high-tech way). You could try this idea with letters, or numbers, or even a big photograph!

I wish I could personally congratulate the design team on their brilliant design.