In our project Breathing Is Not a Choice, I was part of the graphic design team. My main job was to help create the visual identity of the project. Our installation talked about air pollution, breathing, and environmental inequality, so the graphic design needed to help visitors understand these ideas clearly and quickly.
I worked on materials such as passports, posters, visual elements, and exhibition graphics. This experience helped me understand that graphic design is not only for decoration, but also an important way to communicate ideas.
Early Design Thinking
At the start, our group discussed how air pollution is usually shown to the public. Many campaigns use statistics, warning signs, or photos of polluted cities. These ways are useful, but sometimes they feel too distant and not personal enough.
We wanted to create a stronger emotional connection. Because our project was about breathing, we wanted the visual language to feel close to the human body, but also connected to social systems and control.
So we developed three main visual directions:
- Official systems, such as passports and government documents
- Organic elements, such as lungs, plants, and air flow
- Distortion and unstable forms, to show pollution and discomfort
These ideas became the base of our design process.
Designing the Air Passport
One of the main tasks for me was helping design the Living Air Passport. Every visitor received a passport before entering the installation. It assigned them to one of six fictional countries with different air quality levels.
The passport was important because it introduced the story of the installation. It also showed that clean air is not equal for everyone, and many people are placed into environmental conditions without choice.
For the design, we used the structure of a real passport, but added fictional and symbolic elements. We included:
- Different colours for each country
- Plant symbols connected to each place
- Air quality information
- Identity stamps
- A logo combining lungs and plants
This helped visitors quickly understand the concept while also feeling curious about the experience.
Posters and Visual Promotion
I also joined the design of posters and exhibition visuals. We wanted these graphics to catch attention and introduce the topic before visitors entered the room.
We used clean and bold typography, inspired by public signs and official information systems. At the same time, we added blur, broken textures, and distortion effects to represent unstable air conditions.
For colour, we used contrast between:
- Light and calm colours for clean air
- Dark or heavy colours for polluted air
This also matched the emotional journey inside the installation.
Challenges During Design
One challenge was finding balance between creativity and clarity. Sometimes experimental graphics look interesting, but people may not understand the meaning.
Because of this, we changed many layouts and simplified some ideas after feedback. We tried to make the information easy to read and easy to understand in a short time.
Another challenge was teamwork. Different people created different materials, so we needed regular communication to keep one consistent visual style.
What I Learned
From this project, I learned that graphic design can have a deeper role in interactive exhibitions. It can guide visitors, build atmosphere, and support the main concept.
I also learned that design should match the context. Exhibition graphics are different from social media or branding design. They need to work in physical space and communicate fast.
Most importantly, I learned that graphic design can also question social issues. By using the passport format, we showed how systems can classify people and create inequality.
Reflection
Working in the graphic design team was a valuable experience for me. It allowed me to combine creativity with critical thinking. I was not only making visuals, but helping express an important message about air pollution and justice.
Air is something invisible, so our challenge was to give it a visible form. Through passports, posters, and graphic language, I think we helped make this hidden issue easier to feel and understand.
